Match Report | Crewe 1-1 Shrewsbury

Shrewsbury picked up a point on the road after playing out a 1-1 draw at Crewe.

Jordan Gibson opened the scoring at Gresty Road before Salop deservedly equalised through George Lloyd.

From that point, Gavin Cowan's side were by far the better of the two teams - with Town having 20 shots.

And they came a whisker away from winning when Isaac Fletcher hit the inside of the post with a glancing header late on.

Will Boyle and Kian McMahon-Brown also went close for in what was an impressive Town performance in front of 1,300 travelling fans.

Team news: 

Town were hit by three players picking up knocks in training on Friday - with Josh Davison, Jay Turner-Cooke and Josh Ruffels all ruled out just 24 hours before the game.

That meant boss Gavin Cowan had to shuffle his pack with Isaac Lee, Will Gray and Isaac Fletcher all coming back into the side.

It meant Salop lined up in a 3-4-1-2 system with Will Brook in goal.

Sam Stubbs, Will Boyle and Lee made up the back three with Luca Hoole at right wing-back and Kevin Berkoe on the left.

Tom Sang and Gray sat in the middle of the park with Kian McMahon-Brown more advanced in the number 10 role.

George Lloyd and Fletcher were the front two.

Crewe lined up in a 4-2-3-1 with Jack Lankester in the number 10 role and Joel Tabiner and Jordan Gibson out wide. Josh March was the central striker.

Report:

It was Town who started the game the brighter of the two teams with Sang's corners and long throws from Stubbs putting the hosts under pressure from the off.

Salop then came a whisker away from breaking the deadlock when Hoole collected the ball wide on the right before going on a mazy run into the box.

On the angle - eight yards out - the wing-back then drilled a powerful strike into the side netting.

Cowan's men had forced five corners in the opening 20 minutes.

And yet it was Crewe who went on to open the scoring midway through the half when Tabiner stood up a cross that Gibson nodded in at the back post.

Salop came close to an equaliser in the 35th minute - with Berkoe sending in a long throw what Boyle guided just over the bar.

Crewe then threatened again when Gibson sent in a free-kick which Stephenson met only to see his header deflect wide.

Overall, Salop deserved to be on terms.

And got the equaliser their performance warranted when Lloyd latched onto a poor headed back-pass inside the box.

The striker then did well to bundle his way past the goalkeeper Tom Booth and fire into the net.

With the wind in their sails, Cowan's men were almost ahead before the break.

Sang's corner worked its way through to Stubbs at the back post - with the defender doing well to get a shot away that was claimed by the keeper.

Crewe had the first chance after the interval - Tabiner curling a strike towards goal that Boyle header clear.

Boyle then went close at the other end, with the defender seeing a header from point-blank range kept out by Booth following a Sang corner.

Cowan made his first change in the 51st minute - Arkell Jude-Boyd replacing Lee in a move that saw Hoole move into the back three.

Suddenly the game opened up with Hoole making a brilliant bloke to deny Lankester at one end.

Then at the other, McMahon-Brown fired over from distance before Boyle saw another header claimed by Booth.

From that point the game turned quite frantic with both teams pushing for a winner.

And Town thought they had it when Sang's free-kick was met by Fletcher who saw a header glance against the inside of the post before bouncing clear.

McMahon-Brown then saw an effort from 18 yards parried by the keeper.

Crewe had been second best but Brook made a brilliant block to Luke Offord in the 88th minute.

McMahon-Brown then went close again in added on time when he danced into the box before seeing a low effort saved by Booth.

Right at the end, Crewe thought they had won it when they turned the ball in from close range only to see the flag go up for offside.

Teams:

Crewe: Booth, Billington, Demetriou, Offord, Lankester (McNeill 66), March, White (Lunt 59), Tabiner (Agius 86), Stephenson, Gibson (Thibaut 66), Holick.

Subs not used: Lawlor, Ure, Agius, McNeill, Thibaut, Dancey.

Shrewsbury: Brook, Stubbs, Boyle, Lee (Jude-Boyd 51), Hoole, Gray (Golding 70), Sang, Berkoe, McMahon-Brown, Fletcher (Gbode 81), Lloyd.

Subs not used: Gregory, England, Sousa, Anderson.

Attendance: 6,493 (1,312 away).