Crawley Town 2 Shrewsbury Town 3: Hero frontman caps remarkable last-gasp fightback win

Josh Davison struck a 94th-minute winner to hand Shrewsbury Town a remarkable 3-2 victory at League Two basement boys Crawley.

Salop appeared to have thrown away a late 2-1 lead after finally fighting back from an early deficit at Broadfield Stadium, but the hosts fired a fine strike five minutes from time to equalise.

But frontman Davison netted his second of the evening in the fourth minute of five added on after earlier firing an equaliser. The striker doubled his tally for the campaign by squeezing an angled effort into the far post to lift Shrewsbury up to eighth in League Two - outside the play-offs on goal difference.

Davison’s strike partner George Lloyd continued his good form into the final 10 minutes with what appeared like the winner before Crawley’s Dylan Morgan equalised from range.

It was a breathless evening full of emotions in the West Sussex haze as the scoreline swung this way and that. Cowan’s men trailed until after the hour but then looked to have thrown the lead away before the dramatic final seconds.

Back-to-back wins for the first time since February have transformed the league table for Town, for who while a takeover rumbles on in the background, the team continue to deliver.

A chaotic start saw Cowan’s men behind before barely taken breath.

Adventurous right-back Ade Adeyemo had a decent low strike destined for the bottom right corer well turned around the post by Will Brook inside a minute.

But Adeyemo was not to be denied. A fine left-sided cross from Stephen Duke-McKenna found the charging full-back in the six-yard box and he headed home easily, helped by Brook who had tried to come to claim the delivery.

Crawley started like a steam train and were denied a third by good work from Brook, who made himself big one-v-one to keep out an angled Osman Kamara effort after he raced free.

Cowan’s men tried to find their feet as a fierce Kevin Berkoe centre was just too strong for Josh Davison and a low Tom Sang strike after good work from Kian McMahon-Brown was easy for veteran former Arsenal goalkeeper Vito Mannone.

The Red Devils spurned a similar opening of their own after Nathan Tinsdale was picked out in space but he shot low at Brook.

Salop went close before half hour as a deep free-kick was scrambled goalwards by Will Boyle but Crawley defenders squeezed it away from the goalline.

Duke-McKenna dragged a low shot wide across goal in a more scrappy end to the first period, where Shrewsbury could not mark their improvement with an equaliser.

McMahon-Brown was a touch selfish not to return to Lloyd after good work into the second period. The direct Kamara then fired over for the hosts after a left-sided charge.

Shrewsbury were bright in the early moments of the second period with numerous dangerous balls into the box well cleared as the hosts manfully defended their lead.

The visitors were rewarded after the hour with a fine equaliser.

A free-kick deep on their right side was tossed forward and Lloyd won an excellent header to set Davison away. The frontman worked his way into the right of the box and slotted a fine finish through Mannone’s legs.

Salop celebrated what they thought was a second four minutes later but Lloyd’s finish into the roof of the net from Berkoe’s cross was ruled offside - after home fans were unhappy with the lack of a flag moments earlier.

The visitors were celebrating properly inside the final 10 minutes as Lloyd’s persistence paid off.

McMahon-Brown was involved again as his fierce strike proved too slippery for Mannone and the Italian could only parry into the six-yard box, where Lloyd beat his defender to the lose ball and lifted in.

Shrewsbury were rampant and could’ve made it safe with a third but McMahon-Brown’s pass to send Lloyd away was misjudged.

Salop paid the price and conceded just three minutes after taking the lead - though Morgan’s equaliser out of precious little was a screamer. The winger drifted in from the left side and his curled strike flew into the far top corner beyond Brook.

There was still, somehow, time for remarkable late drama.

Deep into time added on a Sang strike once again proved too hot to handle for the poor Mannone, and there was Davison, forced extremely wide, to squeeze a scrambled effort into the far post. It was a night to remember for the away end down the other end.

Crawley (4-3-3): Mannone; Tinsdale (Gordon, 71), Richards (Aderoju, 71), Farquharson (Watson, 79), Adeyemo; Jennings (Arganese-McDermott, 79), Arthurs, Duke-McKenna; Kamara, Morgan, Russell.

Subs not used: Michalski (gk), Orsi, Pereira.

Shrewsbury (3-4-1-2): Brook; Stubbs, Boyle (c), Ruffels; Hoole, Gray, Sang, Berkoe; McMahon-Brown; Davison, Lloyd.

Subs not used: Gregory (gk), Jude-Boyd, Golding, Lee, Sousa, Thompson-McKenzie, Aiston.

Referee: Isaac Searle