Defenders Sean Gregan and Dean Brill were the heroes in the 1-1 draw at Exeter which lifts Latics out of the relegation places in Coca-Cola League One.

Latics looked to be heading towards a fourth successive defeat until Gregan, Latics' Captain Marvel, struck an equalising goal.

It was a rare goal for Gregan, who last found the net over three years ago, and who is more renowned for his defensive rather than goalscoring exploits.

Brill then took centre stage with a last-minute penalty save to deny Ryan Harley what would have been a match-winning goal for the Grecians.

The Latics keeper had earlier been beaten by a Harley penalty - Reuben Hazell conceding both spot kicks - as Exeter came within a whisker of claiming a first victory in eight matches.

Then in another amazing twist, Latics almost snatched victory in the dying seconds when Pawel Abbott headed narrowly over from a Chris Taylor cross, a glorious opportunity for the striker to be the matchwinner.

The drama and excitement of the final half hour was a marked contrast to the dour and disjointed opening hour in a tense clash involving two teams battling relegation.

In the end, Latics manager Dave Penney was satisfied to leave St James' Park with a point.

He explained: "Under the circumstances, having conceded a couple of penalties, I have to be happy to take a point.

"It was always going to be tough and it is not long since Exeter beat Leeds 2-0.

"It was an important point as it keeps Exeter below us. It would have been a body blow had they gone ahead of us.

"Had Exeter scored their second penalty, that would have been a kick in the teeth and I don't think we would have come back from that."

Penney explained that Exeter played a different system to the scouting reports Latics had received. He had to make a couple of tactical switches and he blamed that for their disappointing first-half showing.

Loan-striker signing Daniel Nardiello was handed his debut in place of Joe Colbeck, the one change from the home defeat by Norwich one week earlier.

Exeter shaded the opening half hour, but Latics gradually became more of a threat in the latter stages of the half and Jason Price would have given them the lead but for a poor touch in front of goal when it looked as though he could not miss.

A lukewarm match came to boiling point on the hour when Hazell was adjudged to have manhandled Marcus Haber as referee Simon Hooper pointed to the spot and Harley struck the penalty low to the left of Brill who dived the opposite way. It was the midfield man's seventh goal of the season. Hazell was booked for the foul and Dean Furman for dissent.

Brill, who witnessed the incident from close quarters, later explained there would be a penalty every time the ball went into ther box if such skirmishes were penalised.

Penney's response was to bring on Deane Smalley and Danny Whitaker for Price and Furman and Latics began to gain a foot hold back into the match as Pawel Abbott and Chris Taylor had decent chances.

Latics eventually made a breakthrough with 10 minutes left as Exeter failed to clear a Dale Stephens corner and Gregan drove in a low shot from 16 yards which beat keeper Paul Jones with the help of a deflection.

Latics received another let off minutes later when Joe Jacobson's challenge on substitute Marcus Stewart looked more of a clear-cut penalty than the one which was awarded, but this one was not given.

Hooper pointed to the spot for a second time in the last minute after he ruled Hazell has committed another foul, this time on substitute Neil Saunders.

Harley went for the same spot as the first penalty, though this time Brill guessed right and made a smart stop low to his left.

That was by no means the end of the drama as Latics immediately broke upfield and Taylor fired over a cross from the left which Abbott met, but he would not direct his header on target in what had been a pulsating finish to a match which took an hour to ignite.

Exeter (4-4-2): Jones; Tully, Duffy, M Taylor, Friend; Dunne (Saunders 83), Harley, Sercombe, Golbourne; Stansfield (Logan 81), Haber (Stewart 74). Subs (not used): Marriott, Cozic, Bennett, Fleetwood.

Latics (4-4-2): Brill; Lee, Hazell, Gregan, Jacobson; Price (Smalley 64), Furman (Whitaker 68), Stephens, C Taylor; Abbott, Nardiello (Colbeck 83). Subs (not used): Flahavan, Aljofree, Black, Worthington.

Referee: Mr S Hooper.

Attendance: 4,997.