CHESTER CITY'S recent poor league form continued on Saturday, and it took a twice-taken penalty in injury time to rescue a point against a woefully inept Shrews-bury Town, who have won only four games all season.
City's second half performance was particularly embarrassing, as they struggled to find any cohesion or shape.
Better teams than Shrewsbury would have cashed in against City's carelessness and the resort to route one football was easily snuffed out by the experienced Tinson at the heart of the opposition defence.
Chester are now, worryingly, without a win in their last half dozen Coca-Cola League One outings.
Admittedly, the game wasn't helped by referee Mr Webster who dismissed three players and missed a myriad of offences.
Both teams were reduced to 10 men after 20 minutes. Shrewsbury's Darren Moss was the first to go, receiving a straight red card after 14 minutes following a dreadful tackle on Kevin Ellison.
Ellison was dismissed six minutes later, when he picked up his second yellow card.
Shrewsbury took a deserved lead after 62 minutes. Brown in the City goal failed to cut out a cross from the right from Ryan Lowe and on-loan striker Kelvin Langmead scored from close range.
Burns and Langmead had golden opportunities to increase the Shrews' lead but they both headed simple chances wide from close in.
Three minutes into injury time, Chester got two slices of luck, which hopefully will reignite their season. Sub Ben Davies powered forward and fell as he clashed with Burns - the furious Shrewsbury players claiming it was outside the area. But the official pointed to the penalty spot.
Michael Branch's tame spot-kick was saved by the keeper. Luckily for City, an assistant referee indicated Howie had encroached, so the spot-kick had to be re-taken.
O'Connor became the third player to be dismissed for his protests before Branch then lashed home his second effort. And Mr Webster received a police escort from the pitch.
City manager Ian Rush blasted: "We were not at the races, particularly in the second half. I wasn't happy with our performance - too many players under achieved.
"If Kevin Ellison had stayed on the field, we would have won. We can't keep doing that because we have got too many players that are costing us points."
CHESTER CITY: Brown, Hope, McIntyre (Davies 57), Harris, Bolland, Drummond, Carden, Ellison, Branch, Belle (Stamp
67), Booth (Rapley 46). Subs: Mackenzie, Vaughan. SHREWSBURY TOWN: Howie, Moss, Challis (Street 74), Tinson, Whitehead, Lowe (Edwards 69). Ashton, Tolley, O'Connor, Langmead, Rodgers (Burns 46). Subs: Hart, Grant
