Wycombe 0-0 Shrewsbury - Report
Draw specialists Shrewsbury Town earned their latest point with a battling backs-to-the-wall effort on the road at promotion-chasing Wycombe where goalkeeper Marko Marosi was the star.
Wycombe, who started the day sixth, will wonder how they did not take three points in the stalemate against Steve Cotterill's changed Shrewsbury side.
Town's fourth draw on the spin and sixth in eight League One games was not enough to prevent them dropping two places to 18th with results elsewhere against them. Shrews have now lost just once in 10 in the league, but are winless in six.
Gareth Ainsworth's hosts forged 26 shots and 10 on target - as the visitors managed two and zero respectively - but resolute Salop did enough to repel chance after chance that came the way of the Chairboys.
Cotterill had remained so consistent with his team selection for a number of weeks but the midweek trip to Adams Park was elected as the time to shake things up.
And there were big surprises as defender Aaron Pierre was included in the back three for the start of a league game for the first time since mid-October - at the home of his former club.
He came in for another surprise, as key man Luke Leahy missed out in High Wycombe after collecting his 10th yellow card of the season against Fleetwood on Saturday.
That latest caution will also see him sit out Saturday's long haul to Plymouth.
And up front it was the turn of top scorers Daniel Udoh and Ryan Bowman to sit out for a breather - with starts for teenager Tom Bloxham, 18, and Bristol City loanee Saikou Janneh following his exciting second half display on Saturday.
For Bloxham it was a first start since his red card against Cheltenham on December 18 and for Janneh a full Town debut. George Nurse shifted out to left wing-back for the first time for Town.
Hosts Wycombe, playing for the first time in 10 days and on the back of two defeats, made changes themselves.
Centre-halves Anthony Stewart and Ryan Tafazolli came out of the side with Chris Forino included at the heart of a back three flanked by former Town favourites Jack Grimmer and Joe Jacobson.
Cotterill had warned his side face a physical challenge from the Chairboys and the opening of the game proved one-way traffic in favour of the hosts against a new-look Salop.
Wales international striker Sam Vokes - a Town transfer target last summer - worked two decent openings inside seven minutes. He initially volleyed a Garath McCleary cross over before the same two combined for Vokes at the back post. The busy Marko Marosi held on well.
Town couldn't settle. Wycombe forced corners, the second of which was curled just wide of the far upright by skipper Jacobson.
Matthew Pennington had to be at his best to somehow clear over his own crossbar from four yards out after Wycombe breached Town's left side again.
Marosi spilled a corner before Wanderers debutant Lewis Wing's drilled goalbound strike was well blocked by Ethan Ebanks-Landell.
Town finally managed a foot on the ball around the midway point of the half before Vokes tested Marosi again with a sharp shot on the spin.
Vokes was causing all kinds of problems alongside McCleary and Brandon Hanlan but it was centre-half Chris Forino who almost scrambled home from close range - were it not for more fine Marosi work.
The Wales international headed wide before Wycombe came closest yet five minutes before the break. Hanlan tore past two defenders before his low strike was somehow turned on to his own woodwork by the recovering Nurse.
The interval stats read Wycombe's 12 shots to Town's zero.
Jacobson continued a threat into the second period. He fizzed a free-kick wide before Forino's flicked header from the captain's delivery skimmed wide.
After one warning Marosi was shown a yellow card for timewasting by referee Sam Purkiss in the 53rd minute.
Cotterill waited until the hour to introduce the cavalry in Udoh and Bowman for youngsters Janneh and Bloxham, who had endured a difficult evening.
The Chairboys cranked up the pressure again after the hour. Marosi was back at his best to keep out Hanlan from close range before Grimmer's strike from a corner was blocked.
Town's first effort at goal arrived midway through the half as Josh Vela's header from a well-worked free-kick was blocked.
Wycombe sub Sullay Kaikai, the former Salop loan star, drew a stunning one-handed Marosi save with a stinging drive.
Town forced a fine chance for an unlikely winner through Udoh but his rising first-time drive flew over into the couple of hundred fans in the away end, who were more than satisfied with their point and showed gratitude at full-time.
