It had all started so well for Shrewsbury.

When Jake Robinson put Town ahead just five minutes in against a Torquay side who hadn’t tasted victory of any kind since the end of August, most of the near 6,000 home fans expected a comfortable home win.

Alas it was not to be.

Eighty six minutes, two penalties and a host of missed chances for the visitors later, those same fans gladly left the Greenhous Meadow with a point.

Torquay, on the other hand, can count themselves very unfortunate not to have left with all three after a dominant display.

Elliot Benyon’s penalty cancelled out Robinson’s strike just past the half hour, 11 minutes after his United team-mate Nicky Wroe had blazed Torquay’s first penalty high and wide.

And the visitors created the better of the chances throughout the 90 minutes with Mark Ellis having a header cleared off line and substitute Wayne Carlisle hitting the post late in the game.

Graham Turner’s men failed to really test old boy Scott Bevan in the Gulls’ goal with goalscorer Robinson carrying the most attacking threat.

His opener came after he dispossessed visiting defender Mark Ellis 25 yards from goal, darted through and clipped an assured finish past Bevan off the far post.

And Robinson came close to doubling Town’s advantage 13 minutes later when he his 20 yard effort struck with the outside of his right foot flew narrowly over.

But that was as good as it got for the home side as they struggled to gain a foothold in the first half.

Craig Disley and Steve Leslie, preferred in central midfield to Kevin McIntyre, struggled to impose themselves on the contest as Torquay’s five man midfield gave the visitors the edge in the opening stages.

And the visitors were handed a golden chance to equalise on 22 minutes when keeper Chris Neal brought down Benyon as he raced onto Eunan O’Kane’s clever through ball.

Referee Chris Sarginson had no doubts and pointed straight to the spot but captain Wroe’s penalty was horribly off target.

Town did not heed the warning and after O’Kane had a shot deflected wide he was felled by Cansdell-Sherriff and the near side linesman flagged for a second spot kick.

Responsibility switched to lone striker Benyon and he made no mistake with a powerful finish low into Neal’s bottom right corner.

Torquay finished the half the stronger with winger Danny Stevens, the best player on the pitch, twice coming close from distance.

Town were thankful for the half time whistle and were out early after the break as they sought to re-establish themselves in the contest.

But the second half continued in the same vein as the first with Chris Zebroski heading wide from a corner five minutes in, before Wroe forced Neal into a good save with a stinging 20 yard effort four minutes later.

A change to 4-5-1 and the introduction of McIntyre in place of the ineffective Leslie gave Town a more resilient look for the final 25 minutes with wingers Mark Wright and Lionel Ainsworth at last getting involved in the encounter.

But despite Ainsworth forcing a series of corners with some strong runs down the right, it was the visitors who came closest to winning it.

First Ellis connected with a Kevin Nicholson corner and his looping header seemed destined for the far corner until Disley’s head flicked it away.

And four minutes from time Torquay came even closer with sub Carlisle, who had only been on the pitch for a matter of minutes, striking the outside of the post with a clipped left-footed effort.

But with none of the top three sides winning, it was a point gained for Town as they preserved their unbeaten home start to the season.

Match analysis by ALEX JAMES