Shrewsbury Town boss Paul Hurst believes there are plenty more twists left in the League One promotion race
Boss Paul Hurst insists there will be plenty of twists left in League One's promotion race after a bad-tempered draw at Northampton scuppered Town hopes of taking top spot.
Abu Ogogo and John-Joe O'Toole were involved in a fiery fist-fight on the hour mark as both players received straight red cards amid a 22-man battle.
Shay Facey's first goal for Cobblers had given the lowly side a lead shortly before half-time against a Town side hunting for a record sixth away Football League win.
But Hurst's men responded to the double red card well as Jon Nolan struck his second goal in two games. And the boss welcomed the point, adding that further twists lie ahead.
"It's another point closer to reaching that play-off place," said Hurst, whose side remain second, now a point off top spot after their game in hand on Blackburn.
"People can laugh at that but it's genuine - and it's another game unbeaten.
"Tonight's a great night for Blackburn and Wigan. They'd have thought 'that's great, they've dropped two points, their captain's been sent off'.
"If people want to write us off then I can't do anything about it. All I would say is that we'll keep battling away and make it interesting."
Hurst added: "I think we have to be realistic. To have won our last five games and get a point and remain unbeaten is not a bad thing.
"People were making a lot of that we could have gone top with a victory but I knew they'd have a reaction from their result on Saturday (3-0 home defeat)."
The boss added he did not have a good view of the incident involving O'Toole and Ogogo. But after reviewing footage and before speaking to his skipper, the boss believes O'Toole had hold of Ogogo and would not let go.
He added: "Both sets of players were trying to get involved, some to make the situation worse some to help the situation.
"I had a look back from a wide angle and it's hard to see exactly what happens.
"Abs is in the box. O'Toole comes back from some distance, makes contact, then there's some more contact and it seems he won't let go of him.
"Eventually there's a reaction. I'm not going to say exactly what happened.
"It's difficult to say too much and have a go at my own player. If someone's doing something to you and won't let you go eventually you'll try and get them off you."
