By Ged Scott BBC Sport

Shrewsbury Town's League Two home game with Port Vale was abandoned after 64 minutes due to a fire in the East Stand generator room at the Greenhous Meadow.

Promotion-chasing Town were leading 1-0 thanks to a well-taken 50th-minute strike from top scorer James Collins.

But 14 minutes later the lights went out and an announcement asked fans to leave the East Stand. After a 20-minute wait, the game was called off.

A point would have lifted Shrewsbury into the top two of League Two.

The home side twice wasted chances to take the lead before the break through Terry Gornell, who curled a low right-footer just wide, and Collins, whose shot was tipped round the post for a corner.

But the best chance came at the other end when Chris Neal made a brilliant save, diving to his right to keep out Jamie McCombe's header.

Neal then saved again from Louis Dodds' low left-foot shot at the start of the second half.

But Gornell's clever backheel then set up Collins to open the scoring with a right-foot drive.

What would have been Collins' 12th goal of the season was then wiped from the records when the fire broke out at the Meadow.

On a night when they could have gone second, Shrewsbury actually drop from third to fourth as a result of Crawley's victory at Bradford.

VIEWS FROM THE DRESSING ROOM

Shrewsbury Town striker Terry Gornell told BBC Radio Shropshire:

"The initial reaction when the lights went out was that you see it all the time and that they'd soon be back on. You're in the game and you're not worring about what's happening off the field.

"But, as soon as they started evacuating the stand, you knew there was slim chance of it carrying on.

"The main thing is nobody was hurt and it all went smoothly but we're in shock. We can't believe this has happened. It was one of our best performances of the season and we were playing some great football.

"We've just got put it to behind us, take the positives out of our performance and look forward to Saturday and try to take it out on Aldershot."

Lineup, Bookings (2) & Substitutions (0)

Shrewsbury Town

  • 01 Neal
  • 02 Grandison
  • 05 Sharps
  • 06 Cansdell-Sherriff
  • 07 Wright
  • 08 Wroe
  • 14 Richards
  • 19 McAllister
  • 20 Wildig
  • 09 Collins
  • 24 Gornell

Substitutes

  • 25 Smith
  • 03 Jacobson
  • 21 McLaughlin
  • 04 McAllister
  • 10 Morgan

Port Vale

  • 12 Tomlinson
  • 02 Yates
  • 05 McCombe
  • 22 Roe Booked
  • 25 McDonald
  • 04 Griffith
  • 18 Morsy
  • 21 James
  • 08 Dodds Booked
  • 09 Richards
  • 11 Pope

Substitutes

  • 01 Martin
  • 14 Marshall
  • 32 Lloyd
  • 19 Williamson
Ref: Madley
Att: 6,876

Match Stats

Shots

11 6

On target

6 3

Corners

4 3

Fouls

7 12

Live Text Commentary

83:36

The match is abandoned.

62:37

The ball is delivered by Jermaine Grandison. James Collins is adjudged to have handled the ball. Stuart Tomlinson takes the free kick.

61:32

Centre by Louis Dodds, Matthew Richards manages to make a clearance.

61:00

Nicky Wroe has an effort at goal from just outside the area which goes wide of the left-hand post.

60:17 Booking

Booking The referee shows Louis Dodds a yellow card for unsporting behaviour.

60:09

Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Jermaine Grandison by Louis Dodds. Matthew Richards restarts play with the free kick.

59:37

Kingsley James gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Matthew Richards. Chris Neal restarts play with the free kick.

58:49

Kingsley James delivers the ball, Ian Sharps manages to make a clearance.

55:33

David McAllister crosses the ball, clearance made by Phil Roe.

54:34

Inswinging corner taken by Matthew Richards from the right by-line, Clayton McDonald makes a clearance.

52:06

James Collins takes a shot. Stuart Tomlinson makes a save.

49:59

The assist for the goal came from Terry Gornell.

49:59 Goal scored

Goal - James Collins - Shrewsbury 1 - 0 Port Vale James Collins fires in a goal from inside the penalty area to the top left corner of the goal. Shrewsbury 1-0 Port Vale.

47:25

Louis Dodds takes a shot. Chris Neal makes a save. Corner taken right-footed by Sam Morsy from the left by-line, Clayton McDonald has a headed effort at goal from close in which goes wide of the left-hand upright.

46:50

The ball is delivered by Mark Wright, John McCombe makes a clearance.

46:35

Jermaine Grandison produces a cross.

45:37

Unfair challenge on Terry Gornell by Clayton McDonald results in a free kick. Mark Wright takes the direct free kick.

45:01

The referee gets the second half underway.

45:00 +2:07 Half time

Half Time The match has reached half-time.

44:25

Mark Wright produces a cross. Free kick awarded for a foul by James Collins on Marc Richards. Stuart Tomlinson restarts play with the free kick.

43:52 Booking

Booking Caution for Phil Roe.

43:22

Foul by Phil Roe on Jermaine Grandison, free kick awarded. Indirect free kick taken by Matthew Richards.

41:45

Foul by Tom Pope on Matthew Richards, free kick awarded. Indirect free kick taken by Matthew Richards.

41:11

Louis Dodds takes a shot. Save by Chris Neal.

40:44

Terry Gornell is ruled offside. Indirect free kick taken by Stuart Tomlinson.

40:10

Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Shane Cansdell-Sherriff by Sam Morsy. Chris Neal takes the free kick.

39:29

Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Sam Morsy by David McAllister. Free kick taken by John McCombe.

36:20

Aaron Wildig delivers the ball, clearance made by Anthony Griffith. Corner taken left-footed by Matthew Richards from the right by-line, Shane Cansdell-Sherriff takes a shot. Blocked by Louis Dodds. Corner taken right-footed by Mark Wright from the left by-line, Unfair challenge on Stuart Tomlinson by Nicky Wroe results in a free kick. Stuart Tomlinson takes the indirect free kick. Shot on goal by Marc Richards from inside the box goes harmlessly over the target.

34:30

James Collins challenges Anthony Griffith unfairly and gives away a free kick. Clayton McDonald restarts play with the free kick.

32:58

The ball is crossed by Terry Gornell, clearance by Adam Yates.

30:33

The ball is swung over by Nicky Wroe, Anthony Griffith manages to make a clearance.

30:11

Sam Morsy produces a cross, clearance by Shane Cansdell-Sherriff.

28:17

James Collins takes a shot. Clayton McDonald gets a block in. Inswinging corner taken by Mark Wright from the left by-line, Stuart Tomlinson manages to make a clearance. The ball is crossed by Mark Wright, Anthony Griffith manages to make a clearance.

28:17

James Collins takes a shot. Clayton McDonald gets a block in. Mark Wright takes the inswinging corner, Stuart Tomlinson makes a clearance. Centre by Mark Wright, Anthony Griffith makes a clearance.

27:12

Unfair challenge on James Collins by Anthony Griffith results in a free kick. Matthew Richards takes the indirect free kick.

26:28

David McAllister gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Anthony Griffith. John McCombe takes the free kick.

24:37

Shot from just outside the box by Terry Gornell misses to the right of the target.

22:49

The ball is swung over by Matthew Richards.

21:12

Handball by Terry Gornell. Indirect free kick taken by Stuart Tomlinson.

20:16

The ball is sent over by Sam Morsy, blocked by Nicky Wroe. Corner taken by Sam Morsy, Tom Pope takes a shot. Chris Neal makes a save.

19:14

Marc Richards concedes a free kick for a foul on Jermaine Grandison. Free kick taken by Chris Neal.

18:29

Effort from the edge of the box by Mark Wright goes wide of the left-hand post.

16:49

The ball is delivered by Louis Dodds, Aaron Wildig gets a block in. Inswinging corner taken by Sam Morsy.

14:40

Effort from inside the area by Terry Gornell misses to the right of the goal.

13:20

Jermaine Grandison challenges Kingsley James unfairly and gives away a free kick. Stuart Tomlinson takes the indirect free kick.

12:45

Unfair challenge on Jermaine Grandison by Marc Richards results in a free kick. Chris Neal takes the indirect free kick.

9:38

The ball is crossed by Louis Dodds.

8:59

Nicky Wroe takes a shot. Blocked by Phil Roe.

8:45

Jermaine Grandison delivers the ball.

7:25

Aaron Wildig takes a shot. Kingsley James gets a block in.

6:57

Louis Dodds challenges Jermaine Grandison unfairly and gives away a free kick. Indirect free kick taken by Matthew Richards.

6:19

Matthew Richards fouled by Tom Pope, the ref awards a free kick. Shane Cansdell-Sherriff takes the indirect free kick.

5:09

James Collins produces a left-footed shot from the edge of the box and misses to the right of the target.

4:23

The ball is swung over by Louis Dodds.

4:02

James Collins concedes a free kick for a foul on Anthony Griffith. Stuart Tomlinson takes the indirect free kick.

3:07

Kingsley James is flagged offside by the assistant referee. Free kick taken by Chris Neal.

2:49

A cross is delivered by Matthew Richards, Anthony Griffith makes a clearance.

1:14

Unfair challenge on James Collins by John McCombe results in a free kick. Mark Wright restarts play with the free kick.

0:28

Marc Richards takes a shot from just outside the penalty area which clears the crossbar.

0:00

The match begins.

The game has been suspended.

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