IN the days leading up to this weekend's only League Two game, Accrington Stanley believed they could triumph in the face of adversity.

The Reds camp admitted the loss of key players, and key characters, had hit them hard, but that they had finally come to terms with life without Gary Roberts and Ian Craney, as their loan moves to Ipswich and Swansea look set to become permanent in January.

Now it was time to move on themselves.

But although they set about the task in determined fashion, it may take a little while longer before Lady Luck comes round to their way of thinking.

Manager John Coleman couldn't have imagined a worse start for his side, as Shrewsbury were awarded a penalty that was at best controversial, at worst farcical.

Their second goal was certainly more the latter, and one which goalkeeper Ian Dunbavin won't want to see again in a hurry.

The Shrews' third was a clinical finish by leading scorer Michael Symes, who came off the bench to score what seemed destined to be the winner.

But the fact that it wasn't will please Coleman, because the fighting spirit that was in evidence at Doncaster in the Johnstone's Paint Trophy, when they were reduced to 10 men, came to the fore on Saturday to help Stanley earn their first point since October 14.

Coleman hopes it's the first of many. But he also knows they still have work to do on cutting out the mistakes that have blighted their performances in recent weeks.

He wouldn't say no to being cut some slack by the officials either.

As Shrewsbury's Derek Asamoah worked his way into the box from the right, he got sandwiched between Leam Richardson and Paul Mullin and went down as soon as he got past the white line.

Referee Eddie Ilderton was evidently a fan of his theatrics as he rewarded the striker with a penalty, that Asamoah recovered to take and sent Dunbavin the wrong way.

Once again, it was harsh on Stanley who, desperate for a win, started confidently, with Joe Jacobson's searching ball into the box almost finding the head of Mullin.

But that early momentum was undone by yet another dubious refereeing decision that went against Stanley.

The Reds were left wondering what they had to do to get some sort of co-operation from the referee, after fouls on Andy Procter - in the area - and Andy Todd - ploughing forward - went unnoticed.

But the Tyne and Wear official could not ignore Stuart Drummond's trip on Mullin, who had latched on to Andy Mangan's neat backheel and was brought down as he shaped to shoot.

Roberts scored the last penalty Stanley were awarded - at Notts County on September 9. Without him, it was left to Todd to take over, and the winger took on the spot-kick duties in emphatic fashion as he fired a bullet right down the middle of Scott Shearer's goal.

Asamoah went close with a 25-yarder after cutting in from the left.

Mangan and Todd had better chances, with Mangan seeing the ball drift wide when he had time and space to take on two defenders instead of going for goal 30 yards out. Todd then intercepted a pass on the edge of the box but fired wide of the left hand post.

But just as the half seemed destined to end all-square, Dunbavin gifted a goal to his former side, completely miscuing his kick-out from hands straight to Leo Fortune-West. There was a suspicion of handball when the well-travelled front man controlled it midway inside the Stanley half, but although Dunbavin advanced and stuck a leg out, and Phil Edwards sprinted back to be a whisker away from making a goalsaving challenge, Fortune-West tucked the ball into an empty net for his first goal at his ninth club.

Shearer saved well from Mullin to keep their first-half lead intact.

But the Reds did get themselves back into it nine minutes after the break.

After Joe Jacobson, on loan from Cardiff, had tested the keeper with a dipping cross-shot that Shearer tipped over the bar, then had a shot from distance deflected, the youngster floated in a free kick to Edwards, and the defender rose to glance in his first goal for Stanley.

Both sides went for the win, with Robbie Williams, who maintained a midfield berth, having a shot deflected into the keeper's arms.

At the opposite end, Dunbavin kept out substitute Symes' shot then Richardson blocked Dave Edwards' follow-up.

Stanley had good chances to go in front after that. Mangan sent a powerful free kick to Procter at the far right post that the midfielder got his head to but found difficult to control.

Then the introduction of Leighton McGivern for Mangan with nine minutes to go posed Shrewsbury more problems, and Shearer made an excellent save from the former Rochdale strikers blistering left-foot shot.

But, from the resultant corner, Shrewsbury broke, Danny Ventre couldn't stop Asamoah's run, or cross, and Symes ended the move with a well-taken goal.

Stanley refused to take it lying down.

Michael Welch and Williams are more accustomed to working alongside each other in defence, but this time the duo combined to get a third and final equaliser as Welch launched a long ball forward, an unmarked Williams brought it down and showed great awareness to chip it over the goalkeeper from just outside the area.

McGivern might have grabbed a winner in stoppage time, but, at the sixth attempt, Stanley have a point to build on as they head into the crucial Christmas period.