Wanderers came from behind to extend their unbeaten League One run but ultimately had just a point to show for their second-half fightback, writes Pete Oliver.
A poor first 45 minutes saw Wanderers gift a two-goal lead to the struggling Shrews, who scored from two corners to give themselves something to fight for and the chance to use the clock to their advantage.
Kyle Dempsey’s second goal in three games straight after half-time lit the spark for an excellent comeback with Szabi Schön’s then equalising with his first goal for the club.
That set up the possibility of a big finish as Ian Evatt’s men went for the winner which would have left them only outside the top six on goal difference.
But despite a couple of big chances they couldn’t find a third goal to make it four league victories in a row to take into the international break with a controversial finish seeing the eight minutes of added time barely played out and Evatt seeing red after the final whistle.
Injury to Nathan Baxter meant a change in goal for the Whites as Luke Southwood came in for a league debut and Evatt also changed the front two in a return for Victor Adeboyejo and top scorer Dion Charles.
But despite moments of promise, rather than see Wanderers creating opportunities for their front line the focus was at the other end as Southwood was beaten twice in the opening half-hour.
The Northern Ireland international was powerless to stop either with Wanderers guilty of poor defending from two corners which saw Josh Feeney sweep home a loose ball for the first and Jordan Shipley then given the space to thunder home a superb strike for the second to repeat the goal he scored here in similar circumstances last season.
The Whites responded with a sustained spell of pressure which saw shots from Schön and Ricardo Almeida Santos blocked following set-pieces of their own.
But Town keeper Toby Savin was never really tested before half time as the visitors got enough green shirts back in front of him to stifle Wanderers’ efforts to get themselves back in the game – Adeboyejo going closest with an overhead kick two minutes before the break which flew just wide.
The feeling persisted, though, that one goal could change everything and certainly give Wanderers the momentum they needed against a side with only one league win to their name so far this season.
And crucially it came within two minutes of the re-start as Dempsey got the Whites moving again.
The midfielder has looked a regular goal threat since coming back into the side and again showed his finishing power with a fourth goal of the season.
Charles did well to create the opening and Dempsey then did the rest by jinking past the last defender before steering the perfect finish into the corner of the net from just inside the penalty area.
Charles then blasted over as Evatt’s men looked to repair the earlier damage and as the Whites continued to go through the gears they equalised with just over an hour hone.
The visitors were struggling to contain the waves of white and when another excellent passing move instigated by Josh Sheenan and Josh Dacres-Cogley allowed Dempsey to pull the ball back across the face of goal, Schön arrived at the far post to drill home his first goal in English football to cap another impressive display.
That gave Wanderers half an hour to try and win it and Sheehan almost put his side in front for the first time with a near-post flick well saved by Savin before the midfielder then saw another effort deflected wide as the Whites kept banging on the door.
Evatt made his first changes with 76 minutes gone, although with Shrewsbury wasting time at every opportunity and racking up the bookings there was still plenty to time to try and find one more breakthrough with eight minutes of time apparently added on.
Wanderers did their best to maintain the intensity and kept pushing Town back, flashing balls across the face of goal in the hope of a decisive touch, Aaron Collins almost getting just that to a low delivery from fellow substitute Randell Williams.
With a minute to go Collins then had a chance to win it when a George Thomason shot dropped at his feet but from his effort on the turn Savin made a big save to deny Wanderers all three points before Evatt was dismissed to cap a dramatic afternoon which at least kept the Whites moving forward.
Wanderers: Southwood; Toal, Almeida Santos, Johnston; Sheehan (Matete 86); Dacres-Cogley, Dempsey (Arfield 90+1), Thomason, Schön (Williams 86); Charles (McAtee 76), Adeboyejo (Collins 76). Substitutes: Hutchinson, Lolos.
Booked: None
Shrewsbury Town: Savin; M Feeney, Pierre, J Feeney; Gilliead, Rossiter, Ojo, Nurse (Benning 66); Shipley (Castledine 53); Lloyd, Marquis (Perry 86). Substitutes: Hoole, Sagoe Jr, Bloxham, O’Reilly.
Booked: Pierre, J Feeney, Savin, Gilliead, Ojo
Referee: Declan Bourne
Attendance: 19,765 (468 away)