Shrewsbury Town ready to fight until the end - match analysis

But even the most optimistic of Town fans will surely find it difficult to envisage their team still playing in League One next season following yesterday's 3-1 home defeat against fellow strugglers Crewe.

The game pitted two of the bottom four against each other and victory for either side looked likely to catapult the winner out of the drop zone.

So it proved for Crewe who will now enter the last three games of the season sitting two points above the relegation places knowing their destiny is in their own hands.

Town, in contrast, find themselves five points from safety knowing that even three wins from their three remaining games may not be enough now.

They must rely on other results as well if they are to avoid what looks like an inevitable return to England's fourth tier.

It was a sad end to a day that had started with much optimism as both sets of fans gave their teams a raucous welcome.

Town boss Jackson made just the one change to the starting XI that had gone down 2-1 in another big basement battle against Tranmere last Saturday.

Former Crewe striker Shaun Miller was rewarded for a lively display from the bench in that game with a place alongside Tom Eaves up front.

But neither team looked particularly sharp in attack in a fast-paced and nervous opening 30 minutes.

The hosts made the first decent attack when Paul Parry, who was arguably Town's most potent attacking threat on the day, won the ball bravely in midfield.

Wolves loanee Dominic Iorfa then caused panic in the box with a cross which was turned behind by an Alex defender at the far post. The ball could have gone anywhere, but the visitors survived.

It was Town's turn to ride their luck on 18 minutes when Connor Goldson could only half clear a cross allowing Brad Inman to find Bryon Moore in the box.

He should have at least hit the target but, fortunately for Town, blazed his shot over the bar.

Crewe had their goalkeeper, Market Drayton-born Ben Garratt, to thank moments later as he got down superbly to deny Miller. Jon Taylor did well to thread a well-weighted ball into his path and his shot was heading for the bottom corner until the keeper's vital interception.

Eaves also saw a near post effort blocked as Town began to build some pressure, but Joe Jacobson was forced into two impressive interceptions at the other end to prevent decent scoring opportunities for the visitors.

But his efforts proved to be in vain as Town shipped a soft opener seven minutes before the break from a corner kick.

Mathias Pogba's header took a heavy deflection on its way into the net, but the marking from the home side left much to be desired.

Crewe finished the half strongly while Town seemed hesitant on the few occasions shooting chances arrived.

Eaves and Luke Summerfield both got in each other's way in first-half stoppage time after the former had brought the ball down on the edge of the box, and neither managed to get the shot away.

Things got worse for Town when Uche Ikpeazu hammered home a second for the visitors with a superb shot on the turn from the edge of the box.

The home crowd responded brilliantly, upping the volume as the hosts tried to deliver a response.

Parry went close with a cross-cum-shot which Garratt had to palm over and he then delivered an excellent cross which just needed a touch. Unfortunately no-one in a blue and amber shirt was there to meet it .

Taylor had half the stadium on their feet when he drilled into the side-netting from a tight angle – it had briefly looked like a goal from one side of the ground.

It proved a false alarm – one of far too many for Town's goal-shy attack this season – and it was no surprise when Jackson made a change up front on the hour mark, but the arrival of Bahrudin Atajic for Eaves failed to spark the necessary revival.

Parry tested Garratt's reflexes following a fine pass from Aaron Wildig and the home crowd felt Miller should have had a penalty when he went down in the box.

He was instead shown a yellow card, presumably for simulation, but Town were temporarily spared a third goal when substitute Vadaine Oliver headed wide from a glorious position 10 minutes from time.

It was only a temporary reprieve, though, and Anthony Grant made it 3-0 from a rapid counter-attack following Goldson's mis-placed pass.

It sparked a move towards the exits from large sections of the Town faithful.

Town did breach the division's leakiest defence in stoppage time when substitute Tom Bradshaw fired home.

But it was too little too late to alter the destination of the points, and Town's League One status now hangs by the narrowest of threads.