Gillingham 1 Shrewsbury 2 - Report and pictures
Shrewsbury’s unbeaten League One start was maintained as they ran out comfortable 2-1 winners at Gillingham, writes Lewis Cox at MEMS Priestfield.
A first-half double courtesy of Carlton Morris and Alex Rodman, both grabbing their second goals of the campaign, were enough to lift Paul Hurst’s side up to second in League One.
Gills sub Josh Parker’s 76th minute header meant for a nervy late last 15 minutes for the couple of hundred travelling Town fans, but Shrewsbury were largely comfortable despite not regularly finding their fluid best.
For the fifth occasion in all competitions this season, an odd-goal win was enough for Hurst’s flying Town.
Analysis
Hurst named an unchanged outfield 10 from the side that impressed so much at Oxford last weekend.
In came Craig MacGillivray in goal, with Dean Henderson out on international duty with England under-21s.
Goalkeeping coach Danny Coyne, who turned 44 last week, had a place on the bench.
Gills, managed by Ady Pennock, were without a win since Good Friday, but looked the fresher side out of the traps and should’ve had something to show for it inside two minutes.
Ex-Town loanee Tom Eaves profited on Town’s sloppy offside trap, with Scott Wagstaff walking back from an offside position, Eaves burst through beyond Toto Nsiala and called MacGillivray into early action, with the ex-Walsall custodian saving well down low.
Alex Rodman was well found by Jon Nolan on the left, against the run of play, but despite a good position free in the box, his left-footed was tame at Thomas Holy.
The home crowd were encouraged by their side’s start as Gills saw more of possession and were winning their share of of battles.
They had the ball in the net through skipper Lee Martin, who was correctly judged offside. But MacGillivray was busy again soon after, saving well from Liam Nash after a sloppy James Bolton pass.
Chris Doig and Hurst were urging their team to move forward with more urgency and when they needed someone to step things up, Shaun Whalley answered the call.
Rodman passed up a gilt-edged chance after being released by Carlton Morris, before Whalley showed his twinkle toes and fantastic vision to clip a pass to Morris, who was unable to engineer a difficult finish beyond Holy.
It mattered little as, bang on half hour, Rodman jinked inside two and his low cross was swivelled on and lashed home left-footed by Morris from 10 yards.
Gills had a sniff as Martin scuffed a Nash cross but seven minutes after breaking the deadlock Town were at it again.
Whalley was central to it, bursting down the right flink before measuring a cross and sending a delicious ball to the far post, where Rodman nodded back across Holy and in.
Town were fizzing and good value for their lead after finding another gear or two.
Town’s wins to date this season were by the odd goal, so they were looking to come out in the second period without the stress of conceding to the out-of-sorts hosts.
The opening to the second-half was easily forgettable but the hosts created little for their disillusioned crowd to shout about.
Hurst sent on Stefan Payne for the tired goalscorer Morris. The ex-Barnsley man arrived on the pitch with three goals from his three Town cameos.
Town looked comfortable and in control but didn’t create anything of note during the second period. Mark Byrne’s 30 yard half-volley that pinged wide was the highlight of goalscoring chances.
But the uninspiring second-half turned sour for Town as sub Josh Parker halved the deficit, sending a deft header beyond MacGillivray from an accurate Scott Wagstaff cross.
Town were being asked questions in the air by the home side, they dealt with most of them successfully enough, while loose balls were not falling the way of blue shirts.
Billy Bingham lashed a first-time effort a foot or so over from 30 yards as the home side hoped for a late flurry.
Town sent on Lenell John-Lewis to support Payne, while Omar Beckles was summoned for to replace Whalley as the back line was beefed.
Payne should’ve sealed it at the death after fine breaking work by sub John-Lewis but he flashed wide when a return ball was the option.
But no cutting edge opportunity arrived from Pennock’s side as the visitors clocked up a fourth win in five and remained unbeaten.
Key moments:
2 - Craig MacGillivray called into action early on as he saves well low down from Tom Eaves.
8 - Town chance as Jon Nolan releases Alex Rodman down the left but his finish is weak at Tom Holy.
10 - Skipper Lee Martin has it in the net for Gills but is correctly ruled offside.
13 - Big save from MacGillivray who palms away a strong effort from Liam Nash after James Bolton’s error.
28 - Big chance missed by Rodman. Carlton Morris finds him with a through ball but the winger fires his finish inches wide of the far post.
30 - Fantastic vision from Shaun Whalley, clipped ball is perfect for Morris, but the striker is right on top of Holy in goal and is denied from an awkward finish.
30 - GOAL Town! Rodman jinks infield beyond two challenges and crosses low for Morris, who swivels on the ball 10 yards out and hammers it beyond Holy left-footed.
33 - Gills could’ve had one back but Martin scuffs his finish horribly after Nash’s low cross.
37 - GOAL Town! It’s 2-0 and it’s a lovely goal. Whalley’s cross from the right flank is exquisite and his opposite winger Rodman gets a good header on it to send it back into the far corner.
49 - Rodman lets fly from 30 yards but a deflection makes it easier for Holy in goal.
70 - Mark Byrne lashes a half-volley narrowly wide from distance. MacGillivray looked to have it covered.
76 - Goal Gillingham. Accurate cross from the right by Scott Wagstaff is deftly headed in by sub Josh Parker.
90+3 - Stefan Payne should seal it after fine Lenell John-Lewis work but shoots wide from the edge of the box.
Teams
Gillingham (4-4-2):
Holy; O’Neill (Clare, 65), Lacey, Nugent, Ogilvie, Wagstaff, Byrne, Bingham, Martin (Cundle, 80); Nash (Parker, 61), Eaves
Subs not used: Arnold (gk), Ehmer, Hessenthaler, Oldaker.
Shrewsbury (4-2-3-1):
MacGillivray; Bolton, Nsiala, Sadler, Brown; Godfrey, Ogogo ©, Whalley (Beckles, 87), Nolan, Rodman (John-Lewis, 85); C Morris (Payne, 65)
Subs not used: Coyne (gk), Dodds, Gnahoua, Adams.
Referee: Kevin Johnson
Star man - Shaun Whalley
