Match report by David Elliott at Blundell Park
DANNY North's injury time equaliser kept Grimsby Town's unbeaten run going against ten-man Shrewsbury Town at Blundell Park.
In a game of few clear chances for either side, the visitors took the lead on 74 minutes through Guy Madjo.
They had already seen centre back Colin Murdock sent off for denying North a clear goalscoring opportunity but had responded well and few would say they didn't deserve to be in front.
Substitute Dave Hibbert almost made it 2-0 soon afterwards before Town began to up the tempo in an attempt to extend their run of form to seven games without defeat.
Nick Hegarty went close with an overhead kick before North eventually brought the scores level to the relief of the home support.
And with seconds remaining, North almost snatched a win but his last-gasp header was scrambled away by Shrews keeper Glynn Garner.
Town were unchanged following last week's goalless draw at Dagenham and Redbridge.
That meant Phil Barnes kept his regular spot in goal, behind the now familiar back five of Sam Hird, Rob Atkinson, Nick Fenton, Tom Newey and Nick Hegarty.
Jamie Clarke kept his place in midfield, alongside Paul Bolland and James Hunt, and Gary Jones began in attack with six-goal top scorer Danny North.
Grimsby's bench had a strong look to it, with Danny Boshell, Gary Montgomery, Andy Taylor, Peter Till and Ryan Bennett all waiting to be called upon if needed.
Shrewsbury top scorer Dave Hibbert had recovered from the back injury that kept him out of their 2-0 victory over Morecambe last week, but was only handed a place amongst the substitutes.
Gary Peters instead chose to name an unchanged starting XI, leaving out 10-goal Hibbert in favour of Guy Madjo.
The Shrews' win against Town's Johnstone's Paint Trophy area final opponents halted a run of four straight defeats that had caused the Shropshire side to drop further out of the play-off picture and into mid-table.
Town have had a different run of form, with the stalemate at Dagenham coming after four consecutive league victories had lifted Alan Buckley's side away from any danger at the bottom of the table.
Shrewsbury won the first corner on three minutes after neither side had made an impression in the opening moments of the game.
Clarke cleared for another corner before repeating the procedure as the visitors struggled to create openings from the early set plays.
Town's first attacking move saw Hegarty run from his own half after being released by North.He switched the play to Hird, who then brought in Bolland on the edge of the area.
The midfielder couldn't capitalise though, shooting well over the bar from a narrow angle.
Jones headed down for his strike partner North on 12 minutes and the youngster tried a snapshot on his left foot from 20 yards.Visiting keeper Glynn Garner wasn't called into action as the ball went over the bar.
Town were then gifted a corner through a misplaced back-pass from defender Colin Murdock but again, the Mariners couldn't fashion a goalscoring opportunity.
The strong wind seemed to be playing its part as Garner hit a free kick straight out for a Town throw and then a Clarke crossfield pass for Hird was held up.
Clarke headed away another near-post Shrewsbury corner on 22 minutes before Murdock had a header saved by Barnes, diving to his right.
The visitors were enjoying a spell of possession but Town were comfortable in defence, with only that header calling the Mariners keeper into action.
Grimsby were forced to make a substitution on the half-hour, with Danny Boshell coming on in place of Bolland.
It was the second time the midfielder had failed to complete a match against the Shrews after he suffered a head injury in the 2-1 defeat in Shropshire last September.
The game was still being played mostly in the Town half, with throw-ins and the occasional corner providing the Shrews' main threats.
Grimsby were being forced to defend, although the away side were still not providing any major threat to Barnes' goal.
Town won a free kick 30 yards from goal with ten minutes of the half to play.Clarke chipped it into the box and Boshell headed back across goal before Garner gathered the ball at the second attempt.
Shrewsbury had a free kick a minute later inside the Town half but it was cleared to Hegarty, who won a throw in midway inside the visitors' half.
Soon afterwards, some neat attacking play between North and Jones almost led to a shooting chance for North but he was crowded out by Shrewsbury defenders inside the box.
Grimsby were finishing the half stronger after coming under pressure earlier in the game.
By the 40th minute mark, the Mariners were enjoying much more possession and attacking with more regularity than they had been.
But still, neither side was making an impression in front of goal, leaving the two keepers with little to do.
Fenton was yellow-carded on 42 minutes for a foul on Kelvin Langmead near the corner flag in front of the travelling Shrewsbury supporters.
Barnes was forced to make a good save from Ben Davies after he was found unmarked on the edge of the Town box as the game moved into three minutes of stoppage time.
And that proved to be the best chance for either side to take a lead into half time.The game had been scrappy with precious few chances at either side to break the deadlock and both managers would probably be hoping for better in the second half.
Town made their second change before the restart, with Peter Till replacing Hird.Alan Buckley would be looking to the former Birmingham City winger to add an extra dimension in attack as the Mariners searched for the crucial first goal of the afternoon.
There was no change in formation though as Till slotted into the right wing-back slot vacated by Hird.
Grimsby began the second half with more urgency, winning an early corner and getting balls forward to North and Jones.
Clarke hit a drive just over from 25 yards on 52 minutes before North was beaten by Langmead in a duel inside the Shrews half.
Town continued to attack and Till ran from halfway soon afterwards but again, he couldn't beat the last Shrewsbury defender and another chance was lost.
Town had to settle for a free kick when North was put through by Jones on 56 minutes.
The striker was brought down as he looked to go past Murdock and referee Dave Foster was quick to brandish the red card to the Shrews centre back, ruling that as last man, he denied the Mariners striker a clear goalscoring opportunity.
When the free kick was eventually taken, Clarke forced a good save from Garner as the keeper punched the ball clear.
Gary Peters reacted to the sending off by replacing Chris Humphrey with Darran Kempson as he looked to shore up the Shrews' defence.
Marc Pugh and Guy Madjo combined to create a good chance for the visitors on 63 minutes.Madjo took too long over the shot and Till was able to get back and clear for a corner.
Seconds later, that man Till was in the right place at the right time again as he headed off the line from Pugh.
Shrewsbury were given a free kick in a dangerous position 25 yards from goal and slightly to the left when Boshell was adjudged to have handballed.
Ben Davies took the kick but he could only find the side netting.
Town made their last change straight afterwards, with Andy Taylor replacing Clarke.
Grimsby were struggling to break down the ten men and it was hoped that the extra striker might make the difference.
Shrewsbury were not content to settle for a draw and they continued to attack through the skilful Madjo.
The Shrews management were also looking to push for the win and they signalled their intent by sending on leading marksman Dave Hibbert in place of Pugh with a little over 20 minutes still to play.
And when the first goal eventually did come, it was the away side that grabbed it on 74 minutes.
A mistake by Boshell led to a shot by Hibbert from inside the area.It looked comfortable for Barnes but he couldn't gather it.
Instead he pushed the ball straight to MADJO, who steadied himself before firing into the roof of the net.
Madjo nearly doubled his, and Shrewsbury's tally three minutes later but this time, Hunt got back to clear for a corner as the lively striker looked set to shoot.
Town then began to up the tempo as they looked to level the scores but no striker could get on the end of a low cross after Newey had cut in from the left.
And Shrewsbury should have gone further in front on 81 minutes when Madjo, after looking to be in an offside position, collected the ball and got into the box before squaring to Hibbert.
He tried to side-foot the ball into the net from 12 yards but Barnes got down to stop it on his line.
Town almost got their equaliser five minutes from time when Hegarty hit an overhead shot from 15 yards.Garner tipped the ball over his bar.
Jones shot from just outside the area two minutes later but this time, Garner was able to take a step to his left and make a comfortable catch.
Then a Till cross from the right found Jones, who headed the ball back across goal.Hegarty got a touch to it but couldn't divert it into the net.
Madjo was replaced by Darren Moss as three additional minutes were signalled and before a Town corner.
And when that corner was taken, Town finally got their goal.The ball came across and when a volley by Boshell looked to be going off-target, NORTH was there to find the roof of the net and score his seventh of the season.
With the crowd behind them, Grimsby poured forward in search of an unlikely winner.And they almost had it when North headed a Newey cross towards goal.Garner scrambled it away to preserve a point for his side.
Grimsby could probably count themselves lucky to have come away with the draw but in the end, Mariners supporters would probably have viewed it as a point gained for Alan Buckley's men rather than two dropped.
The result also extended Town's current unbeaten sequence to seven games in all competitions ahead of Tuesday's home game against Bury.
