Substitute Jabo Ibehre needed just two minutes on the pitch to rescue a point for MK Dons against Exeter.
Jamie Cureton rolled back the years to put the Grecians ahead when he controlled sharply, turned neatly and chipped keeper David Martin.
But Ibehre took centre stage when he headed home Luke Chadwick's cross.
Both teams had chances to nick it - Chadwick shot straight at keeper Paul Jones for the Dons while Martin palmed away Ryan Harley's long-range effort.
Exeter City manager Paul Tisdale told BBC Radio Devon: "We weren't great today. The game was messy - there was some really good stuff, and some really poor stuff.
"I think they deserved their draw, although we'd have liked to have held on but our play and our unity as a team was a bit loose.
"We've got to look at the positives, I'm pleased we got a point as we didn't play our best and it was a bit of a slog today."
MK Dons manager Karl Robinson told BBC Three Counties Radio: "We created many chances, I was thrilled with the performance of the players.
"We've turned a corner, but once you turn the corner you have to keep moving on and pushing forward. You can't relax on your laurels.
"We retained the ball really well, we moved the ball well and we made it difficult for what I would say are a fantastic team here.
"This is a real tough place to come and get a result and I felt we dominated a lot of the game."
Live text and stats
Saturday, 8 January 2011
Npower League One
Home Team
Score
Away Team
Time
Exeter
1-1
MK Dons
FT
(HT 1-0)
Cureton 8
Ibehre 73
Exeter
27 Jones
02 Tully
03 Duffy yellow card (Cozic 46 yellow card)
06 Taylor
11 Golbourne
18 Jones
04 Dunne yellow card
08 Noble (Harley 69)
22 Sercombe yellow card
12 Cureton
20 Logan (O'Flynn 58)
Substitutes
30 Krysiak,
15 Edwards,
07 Harley,
14 Cozic,
21 Thomson,
10 Nardiello,
29 O'Flynn
MK Dons
01 Martin
03 Lewington
04 Doumbe yellow card
05 MacKenzie yellow card
15 Woodards
07 Gleeson
20 McIndoe (Chadwick 61)
22 Leven
27 Powell (Ibehre 71)
10 Baldock
14 Guy (Chicksen 74)
Substitutes
17 Searle,
23 Chicksen,
13 Carrington,
16 Hamann,
26 Chadwick,
19 Ibehre
Ref: LewisAtt: 4,544
EXETER
MK DONS
Possession
Exeter51%
MK Dons49%
Attempts on target
Exeter7
MK Dons8
Attempts off target
Exeter3
MK Dons3
Corners
Exeter2
MK Dons9
Fouls
Exeter10
MK Dons8
Final Result
Full Time
90:00+4:26 The referee signals the end of the game.
90:00+3:03 Booking Gary MacKenzie is booked.
Correction - 90:00+2:59 Free kick awarded for a foul by Gary MacKenzie on John O'Flynn. Ryan Harley fires a strike on goal direct from the free kick.
90:00+2:59 Free kick awarded for a foul by Gary MacKenzie on John O'Flynn. Ryan Harley has an effort direct from the free kick.
90:00+1:53 Ryan Harley takes a shot. Save made by David Martin.
89:50 Ryan Harley has an effort at goal from just outside the box which goes wide of the left-hand upright.
88:09 Bertrand Cozic takes a shot. Save by David Martin.
87:31 Adam Chicksen takes a shot. Paul Jones makes a save.
85:28 Unfair challenge on Peter Leven by Liam Sercombe results in a free kick. Peter Leven takes the free kick.
85:18 Booking The referee cautions Liam Sercombe for unsporting behaviour.
83:36 Corner from right by-line taken by Peter Leven.
81:56 Free kick awarded for a foul by Dan Woodards on Jamie Cureton. Ryan Harley delivers the ball from the free kick right-footed
from left wing.
80:09 Booking James Dunne is shown a yellow card for time wasting.
76:11 The offside flag is raised against Jabo Ibehre. Paul Jones takes the indirect free kick.
75:00 Foul by Adam Chicksen on James Dunne, free kick awarded. Free kick taken by Paul Jones.
73:13 Substitution Adam Chicksen is brought on as a substitute for Lewis Guy.
72:09 Assist on the goal came from Luke Chadwick.
72:09 GOAL - Jabo Ibehre:Exeter 1 - 1 MK Dons Jabo Ibehre scores a headed goal from just inside the penalty area. Exeter 1-1 Milton Keynes Dons.
70:28 Substitution Jabo Ibehre joins the action as a substitute, replacing Daniel Powell.
70:10 John O'Flynn produces a right-footed shot from the edge of the area and misses to the left of the goal.
68:50 Substitution Ryan Harley is brought on as a substitute for David Noble.
67:38 Corner taken by Peter Leven from the right by-line to the near post, James Dunne manages to make a clearance.
67:23 Sam Baldock takes a shot. Paul Jones gets a block in.
66:44 Corner taken left-footed by Peter Leven.
65:41 James Dunne challenges Peter Leven unfairly and gives away a free kick. Stephen Gleeson takes the free kick.
60:34 Substitution Michael McIndoe goes off and Luke Chadwick comes on.
59:53 Outswinging corner taken left-footed by Peter Leven, James Dunne manages to make a clearance.
58:47 Mathias Doumbe challenges John O'Flynn unfairly and gives away a free kick. Direct free kick taken by James Dunne.
58:47 Booking Mathias Doumbe is given a yellow card.
57:04 Substitution John O'Flynn on for Richard Logan.
54:03 Richard Logan challenges Gary MacKenzie unfairly and gives away a free kick. Free kick taken by Gary MacKenzie.
52:29 Bertrand Cozic gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Dan Woodards. Peter Leven restarts play with the free kick.
52:29 Booking Bertrand Cozic is given a yellow card.
51:07 Shot from just outside the area by Daniel Powell misses to the left of the target.
50:36 Outswinging corner taken from the left by-line by Peter Leven.
49:36 James Dunne concedes a free kick for a foul on Daniel Powell. Peter Leven has an effort direct from the free kick, Billy Jones
gets a block in.
48:23 David Noble concedes a free kick for a foul on Stephen Gleeson. Stephen Gleeson takes the free kick.
45:30 The assistant referee flags for offside against Jamie Cureton. Gary MacKenzie restarts play with the free kick.
45:01 The referee blows his whistle to start the second half.
45:01 Substitution Bertrand Cozic on for Richard Duffy.
Half Time
45:00+2:00 The referee calls an end to the first half.
45:00+1:28 Peter Leven takes a inswinging corner from the right by-line to the near post, Richard Duffy manages to make a clearance.
45:00+1:08 Sam Baldock takes a shot. Save by Paul Jones.
43:38 David Noble challenges Dean Lewington unfairly and gives away a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Mathias Doumbe.
41:24 Effort from the edge of the box by Richard Logan goes wide of the left-hand upright.
38:47 Free kick awarded for a foul by Matthew Taylor on Sam Baldock. Free kick crossed by Peter Leven, clearance made by Richard
Duffy.
34:24 Richard Logan fouled by Gary MacKenzie, the ref awards a free kick. Richard Duffy takes the free kick.
31:03 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Dean Lewington by James Dunne. Dean Lewington takes the direct free kick.
30:30 Shot from just outside the area by Lewis Guy goes over the bar.
28:32 Inswinging corner taken left-footed by Billy Jones from the right by-line to the near post, clearance by Gary MacKenzie.
25:29 Unfair challenge on Billy Jones by Daniel Powell results in a free kick. Paul Jones restarts play with the free kick.
23:58 Foul by Richard Duffy on Lewis Guy, free kick awarded. Peter Leven crosses the ball in from the free kick, save by Paul Jones.
23:58 Booking Richard Duffy is shown a yellow card.
21:34 Jamie Cureton is flagged offside by the assistant referee. Free kick taken by Gary MacKenzie.
21:08 Michael McIndoe takes a shot. Save made by Paul Jones.
19:47 Dean Lewington challenges Liam Sercombe unfairly and gives away a free kick. Richard Duffy restarts play with the free kick.
17:06 Outswinging corner taken by Peter Leven, Daniel Powell takes a shot. Blocked by Paul Jones.
15:46 Daniel Powell takes a shot. Billy Jones gets a block in.
11:02 Shot by Jamie Cureton from 20 yards. Save by David Martin.
9:33 Scott Golbourne takes a shot. Save made by David Martin.
7:04 Steve Tully provided the assist for the goal.
7:04 GOAL - Jamie Cureton:Exeter 1 - 0 MK Dons Jamie Cureton finds the back of the net with a goal from the edge of the penalty area to the top left corner of the goal.
Exeter 1-0 Milton Keynes Dons.
6:32 Richard Duffy fouled by Lewis Guy, the ref awards a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Richard Duffy.
5:22 Outswinging corner taken by Billy Jones.
4:26 Jamie Cureton takes a shot. Blocked by David Martin.
3:39 Corner taken left-footed by Peter Leven, Richard Logan makes a clearance.
3:08 Peter Leven takes the outswinging corner, Steve Tully makes a clearance.
1:19 Michael McIndoe has shot on goal from just outside the area which goes wide of the right-hand upright.
0:29 The official flags Michael McIndoe offside. Indirect free kick taken by Paul Jones.
0:00 The ref blows the whistle to begin the match.
Live text and data provided by The Press Association.
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