Notts County made it four points totalled from the Easter programme this afternoon with a hard-fought 0-0 draw at Shrewsbury Town.

In an entertaining first-half Gary Silk came closest for the Magpies with a long-drive drive which was turned over the bar by Glynn Garner - while Stephen Hunt made two timely last-gasp clearances as Shrewsbury launched a spell of pressure midway through the half.

Ian McParland's men relied on some last-gasp defending at times to ensure the Magpies stretched their unbeaten run away from home to seven games - with Stephen Hunt clearing off the line from James Constable late on and Russell Hoult pulled off a superb injury-time save from Steve Leslie to preserve the point.

In the end Notts made it four points from six over the Easter period - and it was a well earned one at that.

Having taken on, and defeated, Rochdale 48 hours earlier Notts had a number of bumps and bruises to contend with at New Meadow - with central defensive duo Mike Edwards (Dead Leg) and Michael Johnson (Groin) were ruled out meaning Ian McParland was forced into changes.

In came Lee Canoville and Stephen Hunt in their places - the only two changes to the side which defeated Rochdale for a first home win in two months.

Going into the game Notts had a six-game unbeaten run on the road to preserve, and they started on the front foot with Lee Canoville advancing forwards from right-back and having a shot blocked while Wayne Corden found room on the edge of the box to curl a right-foot shot towards goal which was straight at Garner in the Shrewsbury goal after Ryan Jarvis' neat knock-down found the winger.

On a decent playing surface Notts were able to get the ball down and play on the deck, but on twelve minutes it was from a mistake by Garner in the Shrew goal which almost gave Notts the lead but Butcher fired wide from all of thirty-yards after the goalkeeper fluffed his lines and kicked the ball straight to Notts' leading scorer. At an angle and under pressure to shoot first time, Butcher was unlucky not to hit the target - and Garner's blushes were spared.

Just after the midway point of the half the home side were able to stamp their authority on proceedings for the first time with a flurry of corners, one of which almost provided the opening goal. McIntyre's low, in-swinging near-post corner evaded everyone and rebounded off the outside of Hoult's near post.

Stephen Hunt, back in the starting XI for the first time since the start of March, was looking to prove a point and retain his place in the side and he made two excellent interventions to protect his goal within the space of a few minutes. First he made a timely clearance with a diving header from Tierney's left-wing cross towards Hibbert in the six-yard box while he threw himself in the way ofBen Davies thunderbolt a minute later.

Notts forced a handful of corners towards the end of the half but were unable to make those flag-kicks count, and it was from an unlikely source that Notts almost took the lead five minutes before the break. Gary Silk, effective and hardworking as ever in breaking up the opposition's play in central midfielder, scored a thunderbolt at Lincoln in November and almost repeated that feat at New Meadow with a rasping drive arrowing for the back of the net until Garner got a fingertip to the ball to turn it over the bar.

It was the closest Notts came in a half which was fairly even - but if either side had just shaded it, it was Notts.

Half-Time: Shrewsbury Town 0-0 Notts County

The second period began in torrential conditions with sleet falling at a rapid pace at the New Meadow, and it was the home side who began the half on the front foot by putting Notts under pressure and enjoying a lot of possession.

But, Notts' back four has been immensely solid in recent weeks - and they were so again with Captain Adam Tann in particular leading by example at the heart of the defence with some timely interceptions.

For all their pressure the Shrews had little to show for that pressure, with their only opportunity coming from centre-back Graeme Lee who headed Kevin McIntyre's corner wide from twelve yards out after out-jumping Adam Tann.

Corden almost carved out a chance for Danny Crow just before the hour as Notts made inroads into the Shrewsbury half, but his cross was too far away from the on-loan frontman and Garner was able to dive on the ball while a similar pattern was followed from a set-piece in Corden's ball was almost inch-perfect, but the ball just ran away from Paul Mayo up from the back.

Twenty-five minutes from time Danny Crow was replaced by Spencer Weir-Daley up the front, and instantly he was involved in the action which saw Notts come so close to taking the lead but after cutting in from the left Wayne Corden's thunderous right-foot drive was inches wide. He could, and possibly should, have got the effort on target and using his neat footwork to create an opening for himself.

Jason Lee added a physical presence in the final fifteen minutes after replacing Ryan Jarvis to partner Weir-Daley in attack, and at the back Notts had to hold firm at times and put their bodies on the line when it mattered with Tann and Hunt each making fine blocks to ensure Russell Hoult had as little to do as possible.

Notts' defence has been solid as a rock in recent weeks, and a third straight clean-sheet was preserved with another gritty display - particularly when you consider defensive duo Edwards and Johnson were missing for this key game.

That superb defending was required again in the dying minutes as Stephen Hunt cleared a James Constable scrambled effort off the line and Russell Hoult was quick off his line to deny the striker in a one-on-one situation a minute later.

When it matter, the bodies were on the line today. The defending was superb, the display gritty - and another point in the bag - despite five minutes of added time in which Russell Hoult made a sensational save to deny Steve Leslie from twenty-five yards by making a finger-tip save to turn the ball over.

Now comes the big one on Saturday, a local-derby with Mansfield Town at Meadow Lane - a big, big game for both.

Full Time: Shrewsbury Town 0-0 Notts County

Shrewsbury Town: Garner, Lee, Pugh (Constable 46), Langmead, Hibbert (Cooke 83), Herd, Davies (C), Hall (Humphrey 74), Leslie, Tierney, McIntyre.
Subs Not Used: Jones, Bevan.
Booked: None.
Sent Off: None.
Goals: None.

Notts County: Hoult, Canoville, Tann (C), Hunt, Mayo, Butcher, Smith, Silk, Corden (McCann 89), Jarvis (Lee 75), Crow (Weir-Daley 66).
Subs Not Used: MacKenzie, Parkinson.
Booked: None.
Sent Off: None.
Goals: None.

Match Referee: Mr A Haines

nottscountyfc.co.uk Man of the Match: Adam Tann & Stephen Hunt