Shrewsbury Town suffered an unwanted and undeserved sting in the tail as the chance of a rare victory at Wycombe eluded them.

Yet the overall message remains clear – should Graham Turner’s side continue to hit these heights in performance, their season will have every chance of resulting in a happy ending.

That Town are not today celebrating only their second ever victory in 19 Football League attempts at Adams Park will be a source of frustration.

The job appeared done – three minutes into injury time with Town leading 2-1 and a crowd of 4,208 still catching their breath – following Lionel Ainsworth’s stunning strike moments earlier.

But Wycombe’s last roll of the dice yielded a share of the spoils they barely deserved on goal opportunities or the balance of play.

It was a moment Chris Neal will have re-lived all weekend, a 20-yard shot from Lewis Montrose squeezing through the goalkeeper’s grasp.

Neal would have made a routine save 99 times out of 100 but it is the pitfalls of a goalkeeper that the one occasion an error is made, it has such a decisive impact on the game’s final outcome.

Shrewsbury’s outfield players could have aided their last line of defence by closing Montrose down quicker before he could get his shot away.

Yet Neal will know – and to his immense credit was quick to admit in carrying out media duties immediately after the late disappointment – that he should have done better.

A test of character awaits for Neal at Vale Park tomorrow night, but Town will travel knowing a repeat of Saturday’s display will give them every chance of securing a victory which will take them back to the top of the table.

In the first half in particular Town were excellent, playing with a purpose, panache and no shortage of quality which ensured chances galore came their way.

Matt Harrold, on his return to his former club, and Ian Sharps both struck the woodwork with headers early on.

And as the end of the first half became embarrassingly one-sided in Shrewsbury’s fashion, Harrold saw an instinctive effort cleared off the line.

In quick succession, Steve Leslie, Jake Robinson and Mark Wright all produced stinging 20 yard efforts which produced fine stops from Nikki Bull in the Wycombe goal.

That Shrewsbury were not ahead at the break was bewildering, even more so when Wycombe – who posed a greater threat after the break – claimed a 63rd minute lead through a bullet 20-yard free-kick from Andy Sandell.

But Shrewsbury’s response was emphatic.

They were level when Turner showed his midas touch with the arrival of Tom Bradshaw and Lionel Ainsworth in a 76th minute double substitution which produced a leveller just moments after they came on to the pitch.

Wing duo Wright and Ainsworth combined in a flowing move to allow teenager Bradshaw to head home from eight yards.

Ainsworth then took centre stage with a moment which would have graced the highest level, the winger bursting in off the touchline and skipping past two defenders before unleashing an unstoppable 25-yard effort.

It was a goal fit to win any match but Ainsworth was denied that honour when Montrose’s late leveller provided a killer blow to end Shrewsbury’s afternoon.

But this was another fine showing from Turner’s men, and one which means they can head to take on Port Vale for top spot tomorrow night with genuine confidence and belief.

Match analysis by JAMES GARRISON