Cureton on target for Exeter as they claim a point at Dagenham

Jamie Cureton's second-half strike earned Exeter City a share of the spoils at Dagenham and Redbridge, as the Grecians ended a run of three successive defeats.

The 37-year-old frontman netted five minutes after the restart to cancel out Medy Elito's rasping opener.

Prior to Cureton's intervention, Michael Spillane had missed from the spot for Dagenham, and though City went in search of the winner, a point apiece was probably a fitting outcome.

The stalemate will come as no little relief to Paul Tisdale, whose side had lost five of their last six league outings.

Tisdale made three changes to the side that lost to Chesterfield on Saturday, with Jordan Moore-Taylor, Tom Doherty, and John O'Flynn dropping to the bench, making way for full-backs Kevin Amankwaah and Craig Woodman, as well as Jimmy Keohane.

The visitors, hoping to end a run of more than four hours without a goal, started with plenty of positive intent.

Within the opening 60 seconds, Arron Davies sent Cureton in the clear, but the veteran frontman couldn't take the ball in his stride and allowed goalkeeper Chris Lewington to mop up.

And the Grecians came even closer in the third minute, when Liam Sercombe's corner was cleared to Matt Oakley on the edge of the box, whose snapshot took a massive deflection, before dribbling inches past the post.

The Daggers eventually began to make inroads, and after Spillane exchanged passes with Oluwafemi Ilesanmi, the latter forced Artur Krysiak into a smart stop at his near post.

Back came Exeter, this time through Amankwaah who surged into the box before squaring to Cureton, who scuffed his effort into the arms of Lewington.

For all their good work, Exeter went behind in the 37th minute, albeit in the most unusual of circumstances.

Winger Medy Elito muscled his way to the by-line, and with few options to speak of, unleashed a speculative, if vicious, left-footed effort, which rocketed beyond Krysiak before nestling in the far corner.

Intent on drawing level before the break, City twice went close in the intervening minutes.

After the East Londoners had failed to clear their lines, Keohane slammed a half-volley towards goal, only for a deflection to take the sting out of his effort. Seconds later, Arron Davies cut in off the left flank, and having let fly, was denied by a last-ditch block.

It very nearly got worse for the Grecians in first-half injury time, as goalscorer Elito was illegally felled by Krysiak, prompting referee Gavin Ward to point to the spot.

With the last kick of the half, Spillane stepped up and wastefully smashed the penalty high over the cross bar.

After the interval, it was the Grecians who dictated proceedings, and were rewarded within five minutes with the equaliser. Cureton raced on to Scott Bennett's imaginative through ball, before calmly slotting past the onrushing Lewington, to notch his tenth of a profitable campaign.

With the Daggers rocking, Exeter very nearly got their noses in front, as Cureton's clever lay off found Keohane, whose drive ricocheted off Abu Ogogo and behind for a corner.

On the hour, Cureton was presented with a golden opportunity to double his and Exeter's tally for the evening.

Ilesanmi ill-advisedly chested down Sercombe's centre, and when the ball dropped kindly at the feet of the 37-year-old, he blasted his strike over the bar.

It was the Daggers who finished the stronger and came desperately close to snatching all three points when Ilesamni's drive crashed into the side netting.

Dagenham and Redbridge: (4-4-2): Lewington; Ogogo, Wilkinson, Doe, Ilesanmi; Spillane, Saunders (Hoyte 69), Howell, Elito (Green 76); Gayle, Williams (Woodall 80). Substitutes (not used): Seabright, Reed, Maher, Currie.

Goal: Elito 37.

Booking: Williams.

Exeter City: (4-4-1-1): Krysiak; Amankwaah, Bennett, Coles, Woodman; Tully (Gow 74), Sercombe, Oakley, Davies; Keohane; Cureton. Substitutes (not used): Evans, Baldwin, Doherty, O'Flynn, Dawson, Moore-Taylor.

Goal: Cureton 51.

Bookings: Krysiak, Tully, Sercombe.

Referee: Ward

Attendance: 1,487.

You can view a gallery of the Dagenham V Exeter game here.