Richard Logan cancelled out Andy Williams’ first-half opener to ensure honours were even between Exeter City and Yeovil Town in a 1-1 draw at St James’ Park yesterday.

Yeovil created the better chances in the opening 45 minutes and were rewarded when Williams broke the deadlock with a close-range header.

The Grecians piled on the pressure in the final 15 minutes and finally broke Yeovil’s resistance when Logan slotted the ball past Rene Gilmartin.

It was a fair result, although the draw leaves both sides with just a point to show for their efforts over the festive period and facing a battle to stay clear of the relegation zone in npower League One.

Exeter boss Paul Tisdale brought leading goalscorer Daniel Nardiello back into the side in place of Guillem Bauza.

Elsewhere, Steve Tully replaced the suspended Danny Coles and Logan was handed a place up front to fill the void left by Chris Hackett, who has returned to Millwall following the end of his loan move.

Terry Skiverton made two changes to the side that suffered a 3-1 home defeat at the hands of Bournemouth on New Year’s Eve.

Nathan Jones replaced Connor Clifford and Steven McLean was drafted back into the side at the expense of Kieran Agard.

Exeter came agonisingly close to breaking the deadlock inside three minutes when Nardiello supplied an inviting deep cross into the danger zone. The onrushing James Dunne gambled at the back post, but could only watch in horror as his crisp strike cannoned back off the crossbar.

Yeovil squandered the chance to test Artur Krysiak after being awarded a free-kick from a promising position following David Noble’s late challenge on Andrew Williams.

But Gavin Williams wasted the chance by lifting the ball over the crossbar.

The visitors threatened again when Andrew Williams stabbed the ball straight at Krysiak after the midfielder was set up by MacLean.

MacLean was then shown a yellow card for ploughing into Richard Duffy and Bondz N’Gala was penalised for a foul on Jake Taylor.

Liam Sercombe’s resulting free-kick was cleared only as far as David Noble, who let fly with a shot that was bravely blocked by Andy Williams.

Gavin Williams unleashed a swerving shot that was shovelled away by Krysiak before Troy Archibald-Henville cleared the ball to safety.

Yeovil were gradually taking a stranglehold on the match and MacLean was inches away from putting his side in front.

Luke Ayling’s free-kick was helped on by Huntington for MacLean to lift the ball over Krysiak and clip the top of the crossbar.

The chance fired up the visitors and manager Skiverton was screaming for a penalty when Johnathan Obika went down under a challenge by Tully.

Referee Stephen Tanner shrugged off the protests, but Yeovil did not let the decision shake them out of their stride.

Huntington wasted a glorious chance when he met Gavin Williams’ free-kick with a header that flashed past the upright. But Yeovil were increasingly turning the screw and it came as no surprise when they took the lead five minutes before the interval.

Krysiak flapped at Nathan Jones’ corner and Huntington’s attempted volley bounced into the ground and flew towards the six-yard box. Williams was quickest to react, heading the ball into an empty net from close range.

Tisdale took just four minutes of the second half to make his first change of the afternoon. Taylor, whose loan spell with the Grecians has been extended for a further month, was replaced by Bauza.

Gavin Williams was given a yellow card for diving in the box after he was body-checked by Richard Duffy and soon after Nardiello was similarly cautioned for his theatrical plunge after running into Ayling.

Nardiello brought a regulation save out of Rene Gilmartin and Bauza lashed a wild shot over the crossbars as Exeter continued to struggle in the final third.

Noble’s clipped pass was headed on by Logan and Sercombe could not get enough purchase on the ball to trouble Gilmartin.

Tensions rose after Andy Williams wiped out Scott Golbourne and MacLean was lucky to escape a second yellow card for a late tackle on Sercombe.

The flurry of late tackles appeared to fire up Exeter and they got themselves back on level terms on 75 minutes. Logan slipped a pass into the path of Bauza and the Spaniard spun his marker and returned the ball into the feet of the former Ipswich Town striker.

Logan kept his cool to steer the ball past Gilmartin for his third goal of the season.

Nardiello blasted a free-kick straight into the Yeovil wall after Connor Clifford tripped Logan on the edge of the box.

The goal injected fresh belief into the Grecians and they were camped in the Yeovil half during the final ten minutes.

Gilmartin survived a scare when his clearance crashed into Nathan Jones and fizzed inches past the post.

Logan headed Tully’s cross wide of the target and Bauza drew collective sighs of frustration from the fans after rifling a shot narrowly wide.

Exeter City: Krysiak; Tully, Duffy, Archibald-Henville, Golbourne, Noble, Dunne, Sercombe, Taylor (Bauza 49), Logan, Nardiello (Frear 82). Substitutes (not used): Pidgeley (gk), Bennett, O’Flynn.

Goal: Logan 75.

Bookings: Nardiello, Logan.

Yeovil Town: Gilmartin; Ayling, N’Gala, Huntington, Jones, A Williams, Ehmer, Blizzard (Clifford 74), G Williams, Obika, MacLean (Agard 86). Substitutes (not used): Stewart (gk), O’Brien, Massey.

Goal: A Williams 40.

Bookings: MacLean, G Williams 56, Ehmer 62, A Williams 71.

Referee: S Tanner (Somerset).

Attendance: 5,912.