Ainsworth hails his depleted troops

Shrews replaced the Chairboys in pole position on Boxing Day by virtue of goal difference and had previously dropped only two home points this season.

But Wycombe stood firm to join Newport in becoming only the second visiting team to avoid defeat in the league at the Greenhous Meadow.

Ainsworth was pleased to collect a point as injuries meant he was down to his last 14 available outfield players and only able to name four substitutes.

Shrewsbury had the ball in the net in stoppage time through Andy Mangan, but their joy was cut short by an assistant referee's flag, with Ainsworth revealing his right-back Sido Jombati had told him that he had played home sub Mangan offside.

"I think we've worked hard and we dug deep," said Ainsworth. "I've used every available fit player at Wycombe Wanderers which is saying something.

"There's only Barry Richardson left who is my goalkeeping coach so I thought that was an outstanding effort from the boys.

"We came with a plan and I thought the plan worked a treat. We wanted to nick something and give them problems up front and I thought in the first half we did.

"Second half some of the boys got tired and we had to change but I thought we were solid and right at the end Sido said he played the guy offside and if that's worked that's a fantastic move as well.

"We've come, they've put their game to us and I think we've handled everything that the league leaders have thrown at us. It's a great point when you look at that big picture of Wycombe Wanderers against Shrewsbury."

Ainsworth, whose team have lost just once on their League Two travels this season, added he set his team up to attack Shrewsbury.

He said: "If you're going to come here and go on the back foot Shrewsbury will take you apart as they're a good footballing side with a good manager who wants to pick teams apart.

"We thought we would come and attack them instead of sitting back against the league leaders.

"We put three up front against their three defenders to see how they would handle that and give them some problems that end. Sometimes the best form of defending is attacking and I think the boys did well.

"I'm really pleased with the overall performance, really pleased with a point. I don't think either team deserved anything more and at the end of the season that could be a vital point for us. A clean sheet is very pleasing as well."

Shrewsbury manager Micky Mellon, delighted to end 2014 top of League Two, felt his team improved the longer a tight contest developed.

He said: "I don't think we played or showed the energy levels that was needed in the first half of a game like this on a tricky pitch after two games in three days.

"If I'm honest we were probably five per cent in midfield off the pace so we had a little chat at half time and we came out and I thought that we were the team that looked absolutely like it was going to get the victory.

"I was pleased that we showed a reaction in the second half and competed more like us.

"If someone had said to me we're going to finish the year top of the league I think I would have taken that."

As for Mangan's late disallowed goal after he steered home Josh Passley's cross at the second attempt, Mellon added: "I've just looked at it and he doesn't get flagged for the first one. I think it's tight, I'll be honest, but why doesn't he flag him on the first one?"