Halifax manager Chris Wilder saluted his injury-ravaged squad after a surprise victory over promotion-chasing Exeter.
A first goal for the club for American import Jake Sagere and a late penalty from substitute Craig Midgley represented the sum total of Town's attacking.
But it was enough to upset the visitors despite Halifax fielding a side containing two debutants and assistant manager Sean McAuley after injury robbed the side of several key players.
Wilder said: "It was a battling performance. It was somewhat against the odds, but there is a little bit of a siege mentality amongst the players and we have to have that if we are going to succeed.
"I'm delighted for Jake. He's been excellent in training and just needed that goal to get him off the mark.
"He is a young lad and it is difficult being miles away from home but he wants to make his mark in this country, and good luck to him." Sagere scored four minutes into the second half after replacing Christian Lee at half time.
The former Portland Timbers striker, whose passage from the US has been paid by Halifax supporters, latched on to Kevin Sandwith's clearance and guided a superb shot across the face of goal past goalkeeper James Bittner.
It was the perfect response to a disappointing first half in which Exeter's top scorer Sean Devine came close from 30 yards early on and Dwane Lee grazed the crossbar with a header just before the break.
After Sagere's strike the momentum swung back to Exeter with the Grecians missing a succession of chances despite less than confident goalkeeping from Mark Cartwright.
With Halifax continuing to ride their luck the result was pushed beyond doubt seven minutes from time when City substitute Les Afful brought down Midgley in the area within three minutes of joining the action.
Midgley picked himself up to score his ninth goal and sixth this season from the penalty spot.