Town: David Button, Dean Holden, Graham Coughlan (c), Craig Disley, Kelvin Langmead, David Hibbert, Paul Murray (Devitt, 62), Lewis Neal, Shane Cansdell-Sherriff, Waide Fairhurst (Riza, 46), Kevin McIntyre
Subs: Terry Dunfield, Omer Riza, Kris Bright, Steve Leslie, Harry Hooman, Andreas Arestidou, Jamie Devitt
Goals: Fairhurst 45, Hibbert 90
Macclesfield Town: John Brain, Izack Reid, Carl Tremarco, Sean Hessey, Nat Brown, Paul Morgan (c), Ross Draper, Emile Sinclair (Bell, 80), Ben Wright, Paul Bolland, Colin Daniel
Subs: Lee Bell, Kyle Wilson, Jose Veiga, John Rooney, Shaun Brisley, Matthew Lowe, Rickey Sappleton
Goals: Brown 45, Daniel 45
Referee: Paul Tierney (Lancashire)
Assistant Referee (yellow): P Bankes
Assistant Referee (plain): A Parker
Fourth Official: S Bennett
Attendance: 5,942 (209away)
Martin Wild reports from the Prostar
A headed equaliser deep into added time rescued a point for Shrewsbury after twice being behind. Three goals in as many minutes right at the end of the first-half lit up a previously drab 45 minutes. But Dave Hibbert pounced on 94 minutes to break Macclesfield hearts just as they looked set to celebrate a rare away win.
There are three changes to Paul Simpson's side following last week's defeat at Spotland. Paul Murray takes over from Terry Dunfield in central midfield, and Lewis Neal and Dave Hibbert both step up from the bench, with Dunfield, Jamie Devitt and Omer Riza all selected to wear the tracksuits this afternoon.
There was deserved applause just before kick-off for the efforts of not only the groundstaff, but the many volunteers who had been at the ground since early this morning to lend a hand in removing the protective covers. It made for ideal playing conditions and the game kicked-off in bright sunshine.
A jinking run by Macc's Colin Daniel was halted somewhat crudely on the edge of the box by Kelvin Langmead after nine minutes. Commonly referred to as 'taking one for the team,' you would have expected an immediate yellow. But referee Paul Tierney had probably dished out enough cards this Christmas, and surprisingly decided against waving one in the centre-back's direction!
The pitch was cutting up quite badly and Waide Fairhurst had to receive some treatment when an attempted cross went wrong, with the striker taking more turf than ball, but he was soon able to recover.
Ross Draper then received a caution when he tackled Craig Disley in the centre circle. The Macclesfield players were quick to point further up the field, indicating the leniency shown by the referee in a more cynical challenge by Town's number 8 ten minutes earlier. It was hard not to have some sympathy for Draper - especially as the infringement was some 55 yards from goal.
Shrews constructed the best move of the game so far after 24 minutes. Neal put Kevin McIntyre into some space down the left after a give-and-go, and when McIntyre swung over a first time cross, Fairhurst looked set to volley home the opener but saw his shot blocked.
A crowd of just under 6000 was announced and given the indifferent form, and the fact that barely 200 had bothered to make the trip from nearby Cheshire, it was another outstanding display of loyalty by the Town supporters.
The game needed a goal, and once again there was plenty of endeavour from the Town players. The cake had been made but the topping wasn't quite ready with only ten minutes of the first-half to play.
Macclesfield had fought for every ball and had brief moments when they looked like they might be able to nick a lead - with Daniel in particular looking like a decent prospect for the Silkmen.
After 39 minutes the visitors won a penalty when Shane Cansdell-Sherriff tangled with Sean Hessey on the right side of the Town box. Carl Tremarco stepped up left-footed but David Button pushed out his spot-kick and Salop survived.
In a miserable two minute spell for Cansdell-Sherriff, he was booked for a foul on Draper by the near touchline, and to be fair, the Aussie could have few complaints.
The crowd responded briefly to the penalty save, and often in games it takes moments like that to turn around fortunes. We shall see by ten to five if there's any substance to that particular theory.
Bang on half-time Tremarco partly made up for his miss from 12 yards. He swung over a corner and Nat Brown climbed above everyone to put the header into the corner.
Far from getting their heads down, Town responded immediately. The other player involved in the penalty incident also atoned in some way for his indiscretion. Cansdell-Sherriff's superb cross was put away by Fairhurst's cushioned right foot volley.
Incredibly, there was a third goal in as many minutes when Daniel struck from the edge of the box after exchanging passes down the left hand side. It made it 2-1 to the away side and the referee blew for half-time after a pulsating final three minutes of added on time.
Half-Time: 1-2
Simpson was forced into a change at the break with Fairhurst failing to re-appear for the second-half. One can only assume that the striker hadn't recovered from a series of knocks as he had been Town's brightest prospect, and Riza took his place alongside Hibbert.
Riza was soon in the thick of it and there were loud appeals for a penalty when Jon Brain in the Macclesfield goal got caught in two minds toward the edge of his area. The referee was in no mood to award a second pen though and the advantage was maintained by the Moss Rose outfit.
A left wing cross by Tremarco curled over Button and bounced on top of the crossbar after 51 minutes, as Macc continued to attack rather than simply protect what they had.
Despite Macclesfield's lowly position in League Two, they had one of the most miserly defences in the division away from home. Fairhurst's was only the fourteenth they had conceded away from home and with only three defeats on their travels, Keith Alexander's side would clearly fancy their chances of registering a first ever victory at this ground, after losing corresponding fixtures 2-0 and 4-0.
Just past the hour and Simpson made a second change. Devitt came on for Paul Murray at the same time as a dejected Fairhurst emerged from the tunnel on crutches.
Dean Holden let one fly from fully 30 yards and as Brain watched it fizz past his right hand post, he was still waiting to make a first save of the afternoon with hardly quarter of an hour remaining.
Ben Wright forced Button into a tip over from a header and then there was a remarkable moment when three Macclesfield players had a chance to finish this game off. The best fell to that man Wright, who steered a low shot towards the bottom corner from eight yards which Button clawed away at the death. For all the world the ball looked like it had fallen just behind the line but Lady Luck was with Simmo for once and the Macclesfield players stood in collective disbelief that their lead hadn't been doubled. One for those in favour of technology to debate long into the evening.
Gaps were beginning to appear at the back as Town went in search of an equaliser with Langmead employed almost as a third attacker, but this did little to appease the supporters whose patience appeared to have expired.
The fourth official gave Shrewsbury an extra five minutes in which to rescue something and a 91st minute corner saw Button advance into the opposition penalty area. When the corner was headed away at the near post, it almost proved costly for Salop but the Macclesfield attack was halted on the halfway line by a canny nudge from Cansdell-Sherriff.
Macc were defending deeply and relying on the counter but they couldn't hold out. In the final seconds of time added on Devitt's free-kick was flicked on by Hibbert to make it all-square and rescue an unlikely point for the Prostar boys.
Full-Time: 2-2
