NEW signing Kaiyne Woolery marked his Swindon Town debut with a goal as a battling second-half fightback resulted in a point against Exeter City in David Flitcroft’s first home game as manager.

Town found themselves in arrears at the break at the County Ground as Liam McAlinden slammed the ball into an empty net after Lawrence Vigouroux’s fine diving save from Reuben Reid’s long-range effort diverted back off the post and into the Grecians winger’s path.

After a patchy first half, the home side were much-improved after the restart and needed just 10 minutes to draw level as Woolery made an instant impact in Swindon colours, latching onto fellow half-time substitute Luke Norris’ through ball before following up with a cool finish.

The hosts looked the most likely to threaten a winner, with Woolery denied a carbon-copy second by Grecians goalkeeper Christy Pym, but no goal was forthcoming as Town had to settle for a point to make it four from the opening two League Two fixtures.

Exeter looked marginally the sharper in the opening exchanges and it was they who sent in the first shot in anger, with Jordan Tillson drilling an effort straight at Vigouroux from the edge of the box inside five minutes.

As had been the case in each of their opening two fixtures, Chris Hussey’s set-pieces were a real weapon for Town and his first of the day – a corner – went close to creating the game’s opening goal as Grecians stopper Pym was forced to punch away from under his own crossbar.

Harry Smith was then just off-target for the home side on the quarter-of-an-hour mark, lashing into the side netting after a nice one-two with Ben Purkiss at the back post following Paul Mullin’s low ball in.

Swindon were fortunate not to fall behind midway through the half as a Lee Holmes corner caused chaos in the home box. Vigouroux and Amine Linganzi both hooked away chances off the line before a third was blazed over the top from close range.

At the other end, another Hussey free-kick had the Grecians worried as Pym was forced to make a scrambling save low down but that only served as the catalyst for the visitors to break the deadlock after 28 minutes.

Exeter broke quickly from the set-piece as Town were short of numbers at the back and although Vigouroux pulled off a fine diving save from Reid’s dipping drive, the ball cannoned back off the post and into the path of McAlinden, who rifled into an empty net.

Town thought they had an instant equaliser when a teasing cross from James Brophy was met by the head of Linganzi, which then ricocheted off City full-back Pierce Sweeney and into the back of his own net, only for the effort to be chalked off by linesman.

After that, Exeter looked the most likely to get the next goal before the break as Tillson headed a Sweeney cross narrowly over the top before a nice combination between Reid and McAliden resulted in the latter sending a curling effort just wide but Town held on to keep the deficit to 1-0.

Town boss Flitcroft rang the changes at the break, introducing Norris and Woolery for Smith and Donal McDermott, although Vigouroux had to be on his toes within two minutes of the restart as he clawed away a Holmes corner as it curled towards his near post.

Swindon gradually began to raise their game and Norris stung the palms of Pym after brushing off the attentions of Jordan Moore-Taylor before cutting inside and sending in a rasping drive.

That was the spark the home side needed as they drew level just a minute later, with this time Norris the creator as he spotted an opening in the Grecians defence to send through a perfectly-weighted ball that Woolery latched onto before planting confidently under the on-rushing Pym.

Woolery then went close to a second in almost identical circumstances midway through the half, with Linganzi the man to carve open the visiting back-line with a superb through ball, although Pym stayed big enough to thwart the new Town striker this time.

Having wrestled control of the game, Town were grateful to the post for remaining level with 10 minutes to go as Jack Sparkes’ pot-shot from distance cannoned back off the post with Vigouroux beaten.

Swindon continued to bomb forward in the closing stages, with Linganzi heading over from Mullin’s cross before Vigouroux pulled off a wonderful fingertip save from Holmes at the other end as the contest edged into stoppage time, with the sides having to settle for honours even in the end.

SWINDON TOWN: Vigouroux; Purkiss, Robertson, Lancashire (capt), Hussey; Brophy (Thomas 84), Dunne, Linganzi, McDermott (Woolery 46); Mullin, H Smith (Norris 46). Subs not used: Henry, Conroy, T Smith, Iandolo.

EXETER CITY: Pym; Sweeney, Brown, Moore-Taylor (capt), Woodman; Wheeler (Taylor 46), James, Tillson, Holmes; McAlinden (Sparkes 74), Reid. Subs not used: Simpson, Hamon, Brunt, Jay, Croll.

Referee: Darren Drysdale

Attendance: 7,795