Last-gasp equaliser denies Shrewsbury settling victory

By BRIAN BINNERSLEY

Shrewsbury Town 1 Exeter City 1

Saturday 17 April 1999.

Referee: MJ Jones

Attendance 2419

Shrewsbury's late surrender when their first win in six games was only two minutes away left manager Jake King an unhappy man. The fates were smiling on King's underachievers when Jason Rees' own goal looked to have condemned the Grecians to their 11th away defeat of the season. But despite King's touchline exhorta- tions, Shrewsbury opted to protect their lucky lead a timid policy which boomeranged when midfielder Rees balanced the books with a left-wing break and perfect cross from which substitute Paul Tosh headed Exeter's point-saver. "We paid the price for lacking ambition after we got that lucky break," King said. "I've got a sore throat from shouting them to get forward, and I could have saved my breath for all the notice they took." Two dropped points left King's side still requiring a win or two from the last five games to totally banish the unthinkable prospect of Conference football next season. Yet in truth Exeter would have taken all three points, but for Paul Edwards' inspired keeping. Edwards' opposite number, Danny Potter, (photo) was afforded an undemanding debut by Shrewsbury's toothless attack apart from one early save when his out-stretched leg denied stand-in striker Steve Jagielka his first goal in 16 starts. Shrewsbury's salvation beckoned when Rees attempted to clear Kevin Jobling's long throw-in and succeeded only in heading the ball over his hapless keeper. But a point was the least the visitors deserved for their enterprising football, and their equaliser would have arrived a lot earlier but for two fabulous saves by Edwards from top scorer Steve Flack.

Scorers:
Rees (og 63) 1-0, Tosh (68) 1-1.

SHREWSBURY TOWN (5-3-2): Edwards, Brown, Wilding, Gayle, Herbert, Hanmer, Seabury, Jobling. Berkley. Kerrigan (White, 62), Jagielka Subs: Drysdale, Craven

EXETER CITY (4-4-2):
Potter, Richardson, Baddeley (Breslan, 6), Gittens, Power. Fry (Tosh, 57), Wilkinson, Rees, Curran, Flack, McConnell. Sub: Gale

Referee: M J Jones (Chester).
Bookings: Shrewsbury-Berkley (foul);- Power (Exeter)

Match Report 2

Tosh prolongs agony for Shrews

SHREWSBURY were just two minutes away from ending their six match run without a win when Exeter finally found a way past inspired keeper Paul Edwards and grabbed the equaliser they deserved. Edwards had kept Shrewsbury in the hunt with a series of splendid first half saves in front of a patched up defence, hit by sus- pension and injury. But it looked like proving Shrewsbury's lucky day when Kevin Jobling's long throw in was deflected over his own keeper by Exeter midfielder Jason Rees to send the Shrews into a 63rd minute lead. But Jake King's out of touch side couldn't get a second decisive goal and would quickly have surrendered their lead had not Edwards produced two superb saves to deny Exeter top scorer Steve Flack. But with two minutes left, Rees attoned for his costly error when he supplied a left wing cross from which substitute Paul Tosh pro- duced a glancing header which was too good even for Edwards to keep out.