OXFORD United were held to a draw at Shrewsbury Town as both sides nullified each other in a match short on clear chances.

In a first half marred by Kyle Joseph being stretchered off with an injury, Cameron Brannagan ensured United had a 1-0 lead at the break.

However, Matt Pennington headed in from a corner to ensure both sides took a point from the Sky Bet League One encounter.

Karl Robinson made two changes to the side which drew at home to Fleetwood Town.

One of those was enforced with Steve Seddon suspended after picking up his fifth booking of the season against Fleetwood.

With Sam Long still suffering with the hamstring complaint he picked up during the win at Bolton Wanderers, and Seddon suspended, Djavan Anderson dropped back from his winger role into right back.

Robinson also took Lewis Bate out of the side, with Billy Bodin coming straight back into the team after serving a suspension of his own, following his sending off at Portsmouth.

The first opportunity of the game fell to Tom Bayliss with four minutes played, when he escaped down the left, but shot wide when he got into the penalty box.

There was a clearer chance two minutes later after Marcus McGuane was caught napping on the ball.

After having his pocket picked, Rob Street saw an effort blocked and go behind for a corner.

With quarter of an hour played, Brannagan gave United the lead with their first bit of sustained pressure.

The U’s worked the ball to the right, with Anderson’s cross making its way over to Ciaron Brown on the other side.

His ball into the area was cleared away, with Brannagan picking up the pieces.

The midfielder shot from the edge of the penalty box, with a deflection wrongfooting Marko Marosi in the Shrewsbury goal.

Almost 20 minutes later, United lost Joseph after a strong tackle from Tom Flanagan.

As Joseph looked to scamper away down the left, he was scythed down with Flanagan picking up a yellow card for the foul.

After a few minutes receiving treatment, Joseph was stretchered off, with James Henry coming on to replace him.

Bodin struck a free kick in a dangerous area low into the wall, before eight minutes were added on at the end of the first period.

At the end of that stoppage time, Luke Leahy won a corner off Bodin, with Flanagan heading against the sidenetting from the resulting set piece.

Within 45 seconds of the restart, Henry dragged a shot wide from 20 yards after being played through by Marcus Browne.

Leahy then had two chances from corners within 60 seconds.

First, the home captain snuck in at the back post, with Simon Eastwood palming the ball behind.

From that delivery, Leahy then headed over from the centre of the penalty area.

Leahy continued to be the goalscoring threat for the hosts, first looping a shot over the bar and then drawing a superb save from Eastwood after heading towards goal.

Shrewsbury got their equaliser from that corner as Pennington rose highest to power a header past Eastwood, with 65 minutes on the clock.

The home side were making set pieces count and continued to be a threat from them, with Eastwood again having to be sharp to claw away a close-range header from Chey Dunkley.

Shrewsbury sensed a second goal, and as the game entered the final 10 minutes, Christian Saydee dragged an effort wide for the hosts.

Some questionable handling from Marosi almost provided O’Donkor with a late goal for United as the teenage striker’s header was controlled at the second attempt by the Slovakian Marosi.

The final chance for the U’s fell to Brannagan, who curled a low free kick from 25 yards into the gloves of Marosi.

Shrewsbury Town (3-5-2): Marosi; Pennington, Dunkley, Flanagan; Bennett (Pyke 46), Moore, Bayliss, Leahy, Shipley; Street (Bowman 61), Saydee.

Unused subs: Burgoyne, Winchester, Bloxham, Caton, Bailey.

Booked: Moore, Flanagan, Bennett.

Oxford United (4-3-3): Eastwood; Anderson (Mousinho 90), Moore, Findlay, Brown; Bodin (Goodrham 90), McGuane, Brannagan; Joseph (Henry 36), Taylor (O’Donkor 71), Browne.

Unused subs: McGinty, Gorrin, Bate.

Booked: Brannagan, Moore.

Referee: Martin Woods (Lancashire)

Attendance: 5,158 (341 away)