Shrewsbury Town 2 Exeter City 2

Last updated : 03 April 2004 By Footymad Previewer

Shrewsbury Town saw their hopes of second successive victory over a Conference play-off rival denied when two late goals saw Exeter City take a point from a dramatic Gay Meadow encounter.

After their impressive 1-0 win at fellow high-fliers Barnet on Tuesday, the home side appeared to have three more points in the bag when second-half goals from Lee Lawrence and Duane Darby secured a commanding 2-0 lead.

But with five minutes remaining Dean Moxey reduced the arrears for Exeter with his first touch. Then 90 seconds from time another City substitute, Steve Flack, swept the ball home from close range to claim an unlikely point for the Devon side, who themselves are chasing a play-off spot.

During a low-key first half the closest the deadlock came to being broken was a misplaced header from Exeter centre-back Santos Gaia that eluded his goalkeeper James Bittner. But the defenders' blushes were spared when the ball drifted inches past the post.

The game burst suddenly into life four minutes after the restart when on-loan Manchester United midfielder Lawrence netted with a smart volley from 15 yards to fire Shrewsbury ahead.

The Shrews continued to dominate and on 71 minutes went further ahead when Darby crashed a fierce shot past Bittner to claim his fourth goal in five games.

But from apparently coasting toward victory, Shrewsbury were given a jolt when Moxey – who had barely been on the field 60 seconds – nodded home from six yards.

In the 89th minute fellow substitute Flack was on hand to turn the ball past Shrews' keeper Scott Howie as Eamonn Dolan's men completed a remarkable and unforeseen comeback.