Aaron Wilbraham: Two points dropped for Shrewsbury

Harry Chapman was surprisingly dropped to the bench but emerged for an injured Ollie Norburn after 30 minutes to curl a stunning opener into the top corner just five minutes later.

Town, who were not at their best but were seldom troubled by a workmanlike Wimbledon, looked to have done enough for a return to winning ways - and saw a couple of second-half strikes ruled out for offside - before Dons teenager substitute Ayoub Assal scrambled in a frustrating 85th-minute equaliser on his league debut.

Steve Cotterill, watching on from hospital where he was re-admitted this week and in contact with the Town staff and squad throughout, opted to revert to the 3-5-2 and leave out Chapman, Shaun Whalley and Sean Goss following the disappointment at Bristol Rovers last weekend.

Stand-in boss Wilbraham said: "I think it's always frustrating to concede a late goal but we tried to win tonight, the manager touched on it (over the phone) just then, we tried to win it, we tried our hardest and some nights it doesn't quite happen.

"We're disappointed to concede a late goal, we thought we were in for a victory.

"We had the best attacking chances, we looked comfortable in the first half and leading up to their goal.

"We knew it was going to be a bit of a second-ball and long ball battle, and I thought we dealt with it well."

He added on Chapman's effort, a fifth goal of a wondergoal-laden loan spell: "It was a great strike, he's got that in the locker and does it all the time, the boys will tell you that."

Wilbraham revealed Norburn limped off with a hip flexor injury while goalkeeper Matija Sarkic struggled with a tight quad muscle and was unable to kick all evening.

Strike pair Daniel Udoh and Curtis Main both saw goals chalked off for offside at 1-0, but Town were not overly critical of the decisions.

Sarkic was frustrated Assal's scrambled leveller appeared to go through the goalkeeper from almost his goalline as Town were left to rue two points dropped.

Wilbraham added: "(the goal) is disappointing to be honest. We want to stop the cross, we speak about that, Ethan Ebanks-Landell and Matty Pennington crossed over, I don't know if it was a foul on Mati Sarkic.

"I'd be lying if I said everyone is happy with a point, we were frustrated at the end, you don't want to lose the lead.

"It shows you how far the boys have come under the manager to be disappointed with those kind of results."

Salop remain 17th in League One, nine points clear of the drop, ahead of another home game on Saturday as Fleetwood visit Montgomery Waters Meadow.