Shrewsbury Town 2 Doncaster Rovers 2: Ferguson delighted after Rovers fight back for share

Goals from Mat Sadler and Carlton Morris had put the hosts in the driving seat before substitutes Mathieu Baudry and Issam Ben Khemis earned the visitors a deserved share of the spoils.

The hosts controlled the first half for long period and deservedly went in front after 21 minutes when defender Sadler pounced after Doncaster were unable to clear a Shaun Whalley corner.

Whalley’s free-kick headed over the crossbar by Carlton Morris before Alex Rodman, set up by Ben Godfrey, saw his well-struck shot turned away by Ian Lawlor.

The Rovers goalkeeper then had to be on his toes at the start of the second half to keep out Aristote Nsiala’s header before Niall Mason dragged a shot wide at the other end.

Shrewsbury eventually doubled their lead seven minutes into the restart through Norwich loanee Morris, who hammered home following Nsiala’s knock down.

But Doncaster within 10 minutes when Frenchman Mathieu Baudry headed home at the near post and, with 14 minutes remaining, the visitors were level when a left-wing cross from Ben Khemis was adjudged to have crossed the line despite the efforts of home goalkeeper Dean Henderson.

“Big credit to my players today, we didn’t give up after going two goals down and we’ve come away with a huge point,” said a delighted Ferguson afterwards.

“John Marquis was outstanding, he didn’t stop working and created a lot of opportunities for us in the second-half. Alfie Beestin changed the game as well, he came on and gave us a lot of width and we played more like ourselves in the second period.

“We have got good quality in this side, we’re in League One and one of the main things that we have to do is do the basics right and we did that better in the second-half.”

Shrewsbury Town: Henderson, Hendrie (Payne 87), Nsiala, Sadler, Lowe, Godfrey, Whalley, Ogogo, Nolan, Rodman (Beckles 72), Carlton Morris. Subs Not Used: Gnahoua, Bolton, John-Lewis, MacGillivray, Bryn Morris.

Doncaster Rovers: Lawlor, Blair, Butler (Baudry 11), Wright, Mason, Houghton (Ben Khemis 70), Kongolo (Beestin 46), Coppinger, Whiteman, Rowe, Marquis. Subs Not Used: Marosi, Mandeville, May, Garrett.

Referee: Anthony Backhouse (Cumbria).