Lightning struck twice as Aaron Morley bagged a late winner against Exeter City for the second time in four days to lift the Whites to a dramatic victory at St James’ Park, writes Pete Oliver.
Wanderers were trailing 1-0 with just a couple of minutes to go of normal time as they faced the prospect of a second successive away defeat to start 2025.
But the predatory Aaron Collins pounced to equalise with his 12th goal of the season.
And then a minute into stoppage time Morley marked his return in style when he curled in a long-range effort to give never-say-die Wanderers a vital three points to get their top-six push back on track.
Morley had signed off from a successful loan spell at Wycombe with their clinching goal against Exeter on New Year’s Day.
That one had come from the penalty spot and this time he delivered from open play after being pitched straight back into starting duty by boss Ian Evatt to earn a priceless win for the Whites which gets them up and running for 2025 and with momentum hopefully restored.
With Morley was given the chance of a quick win double after being named as one of five changes from the Wanderers’ side that had lost at Mansfield in mid-week and the midfielder made an instant impression with a couple of trademark passes to help get Wanderers moving in another positive start.
And the Whites were closest to going in front as Randell Williams, starting against his former club, delivered a couple of dangerous balls in from the right flank, one being steered inches wide of his own goal by a City defender at the expense of a corner which Ricardo Almeida Santos headed against the bar.
Wanderers did have the ball in the net in front of the travelling fans at the end of one lovely move but Collins’ effort was disallowed for off-side.
And eight minutes before the end of a lively first half, Evatt’s men threatened again when John McAtee spun clear and sent in an angled volley which City keeper Joe Whitworth fumbled just past the post.
Clear-cut chances had been hard to fashion but in the space of 60 seconds early in the second half both sides had one in a pivotal phase.
Wanderers didn’t take theirs as Klaidi Lolos missed the target after Aaron Collins’ volley had been well saved by Whitworth after Will Forrester – who moments earlier had claimed a penalty after being up-ended in the box – had headed a Morley free-kick across goal.
And then as Exeter broke, Demetri Mitchell was allowed to get in behind Wanderers’ defence and ahead of Nathan Baxter direct from Whitworth's clearance to guide the ball home and put City in front in the 54th-minute.
That was a body-blow for the Whites who took time to re-group and get over the disappointment. But they stayed in the contest and began to push Exeter back in in the closing stages.
And in Collins they have a man in form who needed no second invitation to nip and intercept a weak back header following Dion Charles' dangerous ball over the top and steer the ball beyond Whitworth to score for the third league game in a row.
That gave renewed belief to Wanderers and their fans and with the script written for Morley he duly obliged, swinging in an angled strike which eluded everyone and found the far corner of the net to give the Whites a huge fifth away win of the season to get them within four points of the play-offs – with games in hand – at the half-way stage of the season.
Wanderers: Baxter; Forrester, Almeida Santos, Johnston; Morley; Williams, Lolos (Charles 70), Thomason (Matete 86), Schön (Osei-Tutu 70); McAtee, Collins. Substitutes: Jones, Dacres-Cogley, Arfield, Mendes Gomes.
Booked: Schön, Thomason, Williams, McAtee, Forrester
Exeter City: Whitworth; McMillan, Fitzwater, Crama, Francis; Woods, Harper (Alli 83); Mitchell (Niskanen 64), Richards (Jones 90+1), Watts (Aitchison 64); Magennis. Substitutes: MacDonald, Yfeko, Doyle.
Booked: Richards, Alli
Referee: Ben Speedie
Attendance: 6,353