A goal in the dying minutes from Alex Jeannin was enough to give Exeter three points against promotion rivals Aldershot.
Exeter took the lead in the second half through Sean Devine. Ten minutes from time Tim Sills pulled the visitors level before Jeannin grabbed the winner with eight minutes left on the clock.
The game erupted midway through the half. Kwame Ampadu clattered into Jon Challinor and was rightly booked.
In the flare-up that followed Tony Shields was adjudged to clashed with Exeter skipper Glenn Cronin and the referee produced a straight red card after a long consultation with the linesman.
Earlier, Challinor and Will Antwi both when close for Aldershot in a bright opening.
Les Afful should have opened the scoring for Exeter when he was put clean through by James Coppinger, but his shot was superbly saved by Richard Barnard.
Devine then curled a free-kick inches over the bar from the edge of the box.
After the break Barnard was forced to save well from Gareth Sheldon's powerful strike and Devine dragged a shot inches wide from a tight angle as Exeter attempted to make the extra man count.
The Grecians forced a string of corners and finally took the lead just after the hour mark.
Jeannin's fine corner was fumbled by Barnard and when the ball fell invitingly to Devine, he made no mistake with a close-range strike.
With ten minutes left on the clock John Nutter's corner was headed home powerfully by Sill.
Two minutes later Cronin's shot was parried by Barnard and Jeannin knocked home the rebound at close range to secure a final victory.
Despite a battling performance by Aldershot's ten men, the win was no more than Exeter deserved.