Liam Sercombe scored a brace against his former club as Cheltenham claimed a 5-3 comeback win in a League Two thriller against Exeter at the Jonny-Rocks Stadium.

Exeter took an early lead through Archie Collins’ deflected shot in the fourth minute.

But it was cancelled out within three minutes when Matty Blair’s ball was helped on by Finn Azaz and Sercombe found the top-left corner.

Alfie May put the hosts ahead for the first time in the 13th minute, slamming the ball home after Will Boyle and George Lloyd both had shots blocked in the box.

Boyle headed a Ben Tozer cross against the crossbar, but Cheltenham extended their lead deep in first-half stoppage-time.

Lloyd was tripped by Pierce Sweeney in the box and Sercombe smashed the ball home from the penalty spot to make it 3-1 at the break.

Exeter started the second half well and pulled one back in the 56th minute when Nicky Law’s low ball was touched in by Matt Jay.

But Cheltenham pulled two goals clear again in the 77th minute when Charlie Raglan nodded Chris Hussey’s corner into the middle and Andy Williams headed home his sixth league goal of the campaign.

Law set up a tense finish by capitalising on a mistake from Boyle and found the bottom-left corner with two minutes left, but Cheltenham made the points safe through Boyle’s injury-time goal from close range to round off the scoring to sit second, a point behind leaders Newport.