Verdict: Party-poopers Wolves fail to dent Shrewsbury Town's pride

But a guaranteed place in the FA Cup fifth round for just the third time since 1984 was just beyond Town as Premier League Wolves – and their endless riches of talent – managed to play the role as party-poopers with a late, late show.

It was bedlam, euphoria and dreamland for the 8,000 Salopians inside the Meadow at roughly 4.25pm on Saturday.

Their team, who were 54 places behind Nuno’s mega stars before a ball was kicked, had just quite astonishingly broke into a 2-0 lead and looked great value.

They had more than one foot in round five. Wolves did not know what had hit them in the second period as Shrewsbury improved on an encouraging first half and went for the kill.

There is plenty of magic and drama left in this now often-maligned competition. It was alive and kicking in Shropshire.

The Meadow hadn’t heard decibels like it for some time. Barring last season’s play-off clash with Charlton and Chelsea in the League Cup, it was right up there.

The noise when Greg Docherty hammered in the opener, a rocket from his gifted right foot that flew past John Ruddy like a speeding bullet train, was deafening.

Scenes of blue and amber delight as Shrewsbury not only woke the Cup tie up good and proper – they made it come alive.

While they led 1-0 there were very few scares. Steve Arnold pulled off a save of a lifetime to somehow deny Helder Costa, but it summed Shrewsbury up that 30 seconds later they were heaving down the other end on the break.

It felt like it couldn’t get any better but it did. Time was moving slowly but as it edged past 70 minutes Luke Waterfall steamed on to an Ollie Norburn corner and looked like he’d put Wolves to the sword.

Off the Meadow went again in a sense of delirium. There was not a calm and composed head in sight. Folklore, history books, heroic status were all in sight.

Town needed to switch on as, by this time, Nuno had sent for £35million-rated Benfica loanee Raul Jimenez, Portugal flyer Ivan Cavaleiro and Joao Moutinho, European Championship winner and collector of 100-plus international caps.

That was the level of quality little old Shrewsbury were up against.

And they just fell short.Jimenez’s quality finish from a Cavaleiro right-sided cross was fierce and crisp.

That was with 15 minutes to play, still time to come again.

Shrewsbury, tiring, did not sit in and defend. But Wolves’ tails were up. The rapid Adama Traore this time beat Town left wing-back Ryan Haynes and his cross was met by Matt Doherty for the gut-wrenching leveller – midway through six minutes added time.

Mixed emotions greeted the full-time whistle but Shrewsbury pride shone through, while Wolves were delighted to have got out of jail to force a replay.

Town were almost there but it was not quite enough. They deserved it for the sheer workload, organisation and quality as – at times – they carved Wolves open.

Blue and amber supporters should be proud as their side gave Wolves a torrid time.

Shrewsbury were so impressive in their bold and brave approach to the tie.

Ricketts, against his former side, opted to not sit in defensively but to use his eye-catching new 3-4-2-1 formation that worked at Blackpool and Stoke before it.

It had to be seen to believed how Town were attempting to deliver blows on Wolves. Lone frontman Fejiri Okenabirhie did not stop, he was immense.

Josh Laurent and Docherty were buzzing just behind with boundless energy and exuberance that Wolves, for a lot of the afternoon, could not deal with.

It was another draw, a seventh in 12 games under Ricketts, including six of the last eight.

Draw specialists is a tag they will want to shirk, but Town were superb here and deserve every plaudit.

They switched off from two right-sided crosses when defending in the box could have been tighter, but Town know they don’t face the quality of that creativity and finishing every week.

After some fine performances in this staggering Cup run – now six ties old as Salop prepare for a seventh in the Molineux replay – Shrewsbury have few excuses to not bring such intense, energetic, productive displays to League One action.

They are in desperate need of some positive results in the league, beginning at Bradford’s Valley Parade tomorrow night.

It is going to be some comedown from the highs of Saturday in front of a packed out Meadow, but Ricketts and Town must ensure it’s not a case of after the Lord Mayor’s show.

I wrote for Shrewsbury fans to enjoy the occasion ahead of the match and that they did.

It was a great advertisement for the football club, other than a few unsavoury scenes near block 19 when Town’s goals went in.

From the moment fans began to enter the stadium over an hour before kick-off, there was a real sense of occasion in the air.

And Shrews players stood up to the occasion and gave it absolutely everything. There was nothing left in the tank. And it was not just from chasing shadows and jumping into blocks – it was in the brave and ballsy manner they went after Wolves.

Peter Crouch’s late goal in the first third round tie against Stoke looked like denying Town but they put paid to that theory in the replay. Who’s to say there’s not another big day left in this squad?

They need a share of big occasions in League One, but for now the Cup runs remains alive. The draw will have Shrewsbury Town in it and the dream remains very much alive.