Shrewsbury Town saw their Conference promotion bid continue to wobble when they were held to a goalless home draw against visiting Accrington Stanley.
After receiving a 5-0 drubbing at fast-improving Dagenham & Redbridge a fortnight ago, the Gay Meadow side, desperate to make an immediate return to the Football League, saw two more points slip away, as battling Accrington took an unlikely, but deserved point from this dour encounter.
On a bumpy pitch both sides struggled to string passes together, but Shrewsbury player-manager Jimmy Quinn – who substituted himself at half-time – will have been furious at the amount of possession his side wasted.
For Quinn so much depends on the return to fitness of hot-shot striker Luke Rodgers and key midfield men Jamie Tolley and Ryan Lowe and their absence was again sorely felt.
Missing this important trio, Quinn again chose himself to lead the Shrews' attack along with Duane Darby and Colin Cramb, but both he and Cramb were withdrawn from the fray before 70 minutes had past, evident of how little headway Shrewsbury made against a resolute Reds defence.
Indeed, aside from one typically darting run from winger Sam Aiston – that ended with a cross that just eluded Darby – the first half was a non-event and although Shrewsbury's front play perked up with the arrival of second-half substitute Jody Banim, there was still nothing to trouble Stanley goalkeeper Jon Kennedy until the 76th minute.
At this point Kennedy was called into action to thwart a header from Shrews skipper Darren Tinson, with Kennedy proving equal to the task, making a fine one handed-save to prevent Shrewsbury taking a late lead.
At the other end Steve Halford headed narrowly wide for Accrington with seven minutes left, thus producing their only goal attempt of note.
David Edwards almost snatched victory for Shrewsbury at the death only to see his shot drift wide, as two more vital promotion points drifted away.