Macclesfield surrendered a two goal lead, and with it two vital points, as Shrewsbury came back in the second half to extend their unbeaten run to ten games.

Matthew Tipton scored in each half, but a Danny Swailes own goal and a header from substitute Leo Fortune-West earned the Shrews a draw.

The game took a while to kick into action, with neither side really threatening on a poor surface at the Moss Rose.

Macc won the first corner of the game after eight minutes, but the move quickly broke down and gave the visitors a chance to break.  Derek Asamoah shrugged off former team-mate Jamie Tolley and it took great defending from Alan Navarro to force him wide before he struck a tame shot at Tommy Lee.

Michael Symes saw an effort flash across the six yard box after sloppy Silkmen defending gave him a chance on 14 minutes.  Symes being the man Macc signed on loan in the absence of Jon Parkin last season, but was injured before ever playing for the club.

Michael Symes - Never got to kick a ball for the Silkmen

An early injury to Shrews skipper Sagi Burton forced him off and he was replaced in defence by Danny Hall.

Referee Uriah Rennie didn't take long to stamp his authority on the game - showing Jamie Tolley a yellow card for a high tackle on Stuart Drummond on the halfway line.  He would be just the first of eight Macc players to go into the book as the game wasn't allowed to flow and Rennie's hand was never out of his pocket for too long.

Martin Bullock saw little of the ball in the first half, although he did embark on a trademark mazy run in the 26th minute but he blasted well over the bar from 20 yards after ghosting past two defenders.

Macc broke the deadlock after 29 minutes when McIntyre's deep inswinging corner was nodded back across the box by Swailes and Dave Morley's header struck the underside of the bar and fell for Tipton to force the ball in from close range.

Symes saw another good effort well saved by Lee diving low to his left minutes later and at the other end the lead was nearly doubled after a mix-up between goalkeeper Chris McKenzie and Danny Hall, under pressure from Tipton, ended with the ball trickling past the post.

John Miles saw his effort blocked for a corner after a good move with Tolley in the one minute added on, and Macc went in ahead at the break with the game still struggling to spark into life.

Symes looked to be through on goal in the 50th minute when Asamoah's clever pass found him in the box but Swailes did just enough to nudge the ball away from him.

Two minutes later Macc doubled their lead courtesy of Tipton's fifth goal of the season.  Alan Navarro's angled ball into the box was nodded down by John Murphy and Tipton stole in to drill into the far corner off the foot of the post.

The game was briefly held up soon afterwards when Morley's armband was ripped off and the referee made sure that his arm was taped to signify his captaincy before play could continue.

Shrewsbury were back in the match on 63 minutes when Tierney's ball in from the right was missed by Asamoah and Danny Swailes could only put the ball into the corner of his own net at the back post as he tried to clear behind for a corner.

Simon Wiles made his return to action after his injury at Stockport in the 66th minute, coming on for John Miles.

Simon Wiles - Back in action for the Silkmen after his cruciate injury

Tipton could have had his hat-trick when he was found in the box by Navarro's precise pass but his instant shot on the turn from a tight angle flashed just wide.

He wasn't given another chance to get his third as he was replaced by Matty McNeil for the final 20 minutes.  Shrewsbury also made a substitution, with Asamoah coming off for Fortune-West.  The lanky striker had a great record of scoring against the Silkmen and he continued that trend instantly.

He was found in the box by Ben Davies and after holding off Morley he struck a sweet left footed shot past Lee to the far corner from 12 yards with almost his first touch.

Davies hit a shot from outside the box on 80 minutes which looked to be creeping in after it took a huge deflection and Lee had to scramble back across his goal to save down by the post.

Wiles got his first proper chance to attack when he was away down the right and after his cross was half cleared, Tolley missed a great chance to put one over on his former team by wildly hammering over from ten yards.

Jamie Tolley in action during his days at Shrewsbury

Seconds later he was replaced by James Jennings and his first touch led to a chance for Navarro.  A curling cross from the left fell to the midfielder who hit a drive which looked to be creeping in through a crowd of players but was well saved by McKenzie.

Shrewsbury pressed for the winner in the four minutes of injury time but the Macc backline held firm.

Against a side that hadn't lost since Boxing Day it was never going to be easy.  However, the Silkmen will be unhappy to let a two goal lead slip at home and they may live to regret it with three consecutive away games coming up.

Andy Brinkhurst