Promotion hopefuls Shrewsbury and Port Vale lost more ground on the top three after a feisty 2-2 draw at the Greenhous Meadow.
Marc Richards kept his cool to rescue a point for Vale when he converted a penalty seven minutes from time after Mat Sadler had brought down Tom Pope.
The game burst into life with two goals inside a minute either side of the half-hour mark.
Vale struck first when Kris Taylor's free-kick from the right was headed home from six yards by captain Richards. But Shrewsbury hit back immediately with Lionel Ainsworth firing a low shot into the bottom corner from the left-hand side of the penalty area.
Town had earlier narrowly missed out on a flying start when a thunderous 25-yard drive from David Davis rattled the woodwork. Yet Graham Turner's men took the lead in the 72nd minute when James Collins raced onto Mark Wright's measured pass to fire a 15-yard shot between keeper Chris Martin and his near post.
But Vale hit back though Richards` late spot-kick and hung on for a point thanks to a fine fingertip save from Martin to deny Davis deep into stoppage time.
Source: PA