FA Cup: Bristol City 1 Shrewsbury Town 1 - Report and pictures

Sam Ricketts’ men dominated the first half hour at Ashton Gate but were stung by the struggling Championship hosts who led on half hour through big striker Famara Diedhiou.

But League One Town started the second half like a train against their higher-ranked hosts and Goss’ guided curling effort from outside the box just three minutes after the break gave them leveller they deserved.

Town defended superbly but were the most likely to book their place in the fourth round - in what would be the second season running - for certain.

Josh Laurent went closest as he found the corner of post and bar with a spectacular strike from distance before Aaron Pierre sent a good chance over.

Ricketts’ men banged on the door late on and kept asking questions of the hosts but were unable to find what would have been a deserved winner.

Heavy boos surrounded Ashton Gate from underwhelmed and frustrated home fans but the 1,123 travelling Salopians saw their side put in a fine display in going toe-to-toe and outplaying a richly-assembled Robins side - who while making six changes still went strong.

And Shrewsbury remain in the competition for Monday night’s fourth round draw and will do battle at what will be a buzzing Montgomery Waters Meadow on a week night in the next couple of weeks.

Under-pressure City boss Lee Johnson was well aware that the visit of Shrewsbury could provide a potential banana skin for his side, who had suffered five defeats from six in the division above.

He still rang the changes, six in total, but the hosts boasted some fine attacking threats. Swede Niclas Eliasson, a real danger from the wings, is one of their creator-in-chiefs, while French teenager Han-Noah Massengo cost a whopping reported £7million from Monaco.

More than 1,000 Salop fans travelled down the M5 confident of a possible upset as their side played in a fourth FA Cup third round in five seasons.

The impressive Ashton Gate stadia had the feeling of a Cup tie ahead of kick-off, given the early kick-off and the sense of a hungry underdog in the air.

But home supporters knew nothing less than a convincing win was order of the day for their Championship side, and Johnson’s strong team resembled a side out to avoid an upset.

Town chief Ricketts made just the two changes to his ranks, with one enforced. Loan goalkeeper Max O’Leary missed out against his parent club with 38-year-old Joe Murphy taking his place between the sticks.

Reports in Bristol had suggested the Robins were considering a recall for O’Leary but City assistant head coach said on Friday the club were happy with the progress he was making away on loan.

Shrewsbury’s other change was a return for Goss as Shaun Whalley dropped to the bench. Laurent took Whalley’s wide right position, with Ryan Giles on the other flank as Bolton goal hero Daniel Udoh continued up front.

There was a welcome sight of loan striker Callum Lang on the bench, just one day under three months since breaking his metatarsal at Tranmere.

Youngster Ryan Sears, recovering from an ACL injury, travelled and warmed up ahead of kick-off but was not involved. There was no place for out-of-favour striker Fejiri Okenabirhie.

Away supporters made superb noise to greet the sides for kick-off at 12.31pm on a mild January afternoon near Bristol city centre.

Shrewsbury responded to their fans and looked the side interested in laying down an early marker.

The locals, sparsely patched around the 27,000 capacity arena, were quiet and a little daunted by Salop’s quick start.

Former Telford man Udoh showed just what he was about inside a minute, troubling the left side of City’s defence with his strength and quick feet.

Ricketts’ men kept the ball competently for the best part of two minutes, eventually releasing Laurent into the right side of the City box, as Town’s No.28 tested Finnish keeper Niki Maenpaa with an early effort on target.

Away skipper Ollie Norburn and Goss were winning the midfield battle with purpose as Town dominated possession and the first and second balls.

Wolves loanee Giles was another big thorn in City’s side in the opening exchanges. Giles was inches away from breaking the deadlock early on as a deflected cross looked set for the top corner, only for Maenpaa to just about palm over his bar.

Pierre headed the resulting corner narrowly wide with Ricketts’ men well on top.

Another good chance came the way of the busy Udoh inside 10 minutes. Pierre won the ball well, before stepping forward and finding a great forward pass for the striker. Udoh took a fine touch inside before his sharp left-footed effort dragged just wide of the near post.

Giles was causing City right-back Pedro Pereira all kinds of problems with his lightning pace. On a couple of occasions he reached the byline with ease but could be accused of over-hitting a couple of his first-time deliveries rather than wait for team-mates to catch up.

Johnson’s hosts had barely ventured forward as Shrewsbury kept the shackles on tricky customers Kasey Palmer and Eliasson.

Forward Marley Watkins, playing in support of main striker Diedhiou, mustered the only attempts at goal the home side could manage and they were tame headers comfortably off target.

Shrewsbury were unlucky just before the mid-point of the first period as Goss met Norburn’s clever low corner and a first-time striker with his weaker right foot was heading for the bottom corner before it rebounded off the unfortunate Udoh.

It took a good 25 minutes for the Robins to put their foot on the ball and find any sort of rhythm.

Eliasson - who had managed to get no change out of boyhood City fan Scott Golbourne - had swapped wings with Palmer and found himself up against Donald Love, whose work was cut out dealing with the tricky customer.

Still Shrewsbury did not look stretched as, on a couple of occasions, the defence stood firm to City’s attempts to play through them.

Ethan Ebanks-Landell won a couple of good tackles to leave City with a corner on half hour.

Frustratingly for Shrewsbury they were unable to fully clear the dead ball and Eliasson had the beating of Udoh with speedy footwork.

His cross reached the back post and their was towering forward Diedhiou to climb above Ebanks-Landell and powerfully head back where the ball came from into the far corner, beyond Murphy’s despairing dive.

Ricketts’ men continued to compose themselves and play their game, looking to retain play and shift it across the park over to Giles. They did so after conceding but Giles could not pick out a team-mate.

City enjoyed their best spell in the five minutes before the break and two good chances meant the visitors were pleased to go in just the one behind.

First Murphy sprawled to his left to keep out Palmer’s volley and, from the resulting corner, the veteran keeper made a stunning reaction save to deny Diedhiou from no more than four yards out.

The improbable stop was just in front of the away fans who voiced their appreciation before the sides went in at the break, supporters hoping to have another goal scored in front of them after half-time.

Everybody of a Town persuasion was left holding their heads barely 90 seconds into the second half as Udoh somehow couldn’t convert from inside the six yard box from an exquisite Giles cross.

A deflected took it beyond the goal but Udoh really should’ve hauled his side level.

Little the matter.

City made a hash of dealing with the resulting Giles cross from Norburn's short corner and, as Diedhiou could only pass a tame clearance outside his own box.

Unfortunately for the hosts it was straight on to the instep of Goss.

The former Manchester United youngster curled a sumptuous low finish towards Maenpaa’s near post and the experienced keeper could get nowhere near it as the ball kissed the inside of the post on its way in, sparking wild scenes behind the goal.

Goss’ first goal for Shrewsbury and first goal since February 2018 for Rangers gave the visitors the parity they deserved.

And City dawdled for a moment as Laurent almost caught defender Tomas Kalas cold near the penalty spot as Town went hunting for more.

But the Robins were not done and pushed hard in response.

A fine Eliasson set-piece delivery caused problems but this time Ebanks-Landell stood firm with a couple of brilliant and decisive clearances as City chucked men into the six yard box.

The Robins worked the ball smartly into Diedhiou on the left of the box and his low pass into Palmer saw the latter fall in close proximity of Town defenders but referee John Busby was unmoved.

Eliasson curled a free-kick just the wrong side of the post, with Murphy confident on its outcome, just before the hour.

Home boss Johnson, sensing he needed something, rolled the dice and threw on former Wolves and Villa striker Andi Weimann as well as the talented Callum O’Dowda.

Ricketts responded by sending Whalley on for the tireless Udoh who had ran himself into the ground. For the next 10 minutes Whalley played the lone forward role previously occupied by Udoh.

Murphy was called into action and made a smart low save to deny Weimann from an extremely narrow angle shortly after the latter’s introduction.

Shrewsbury snapped into life midway through the second period and, almost out of nowhere, Laurent went a lick of paint from becoming the FA Cup hero yet again.

His strike from outside the right corner of the box had Maenpaa rooted and floated on to the opposite far top corner. Deathly silence was met with groans of ‘oooh’ from the fans just behind the goal as it cannoned back off the angle. Laurent showed stunning technique with the strike.

A minute later and Town had a much greater chance to earn a deserved lead.

Defender Pierre, no stranger to fine technique and cool composure in the opposition box, spun his marker with aplomb before - while leaning back - fired over with his weaker right foot. It was a big opportunity.

And they kept coming for Shrewsbury as Bristol City continued to be nervy and sloppy in possession, gifting the ball to their visitors.

Norburn broke with purpose two on two and picked a good ball to Whalley into the box but he was excellent defended by skipper Taylor Moore of City.

The flurry of chances died down but it was still the visitors in control and the more likely to confirm their place in the fourth round.

City’s only glimpse of goal was a Weimann curler that Murphy watched comfortably wide while Laurent headed over from Shrewsbury after Giles forced yet another free-kick with the hosts unable to deal with him.

Ricketts replaced the brilliant Giles as Lang made his return with four minutes of normal time remaining.

There was to be no winner as the sides confirmed their Meadow replay for the near future. It was the least they deserved.

Bristol City (4-4-2):

Maenpaa; Pereira, Moore ©, Kalas (Baker, 74), Dasilva (Weimann, 60); Eliasson, Massengo, Nagy, Palmer; Watkins (O’Dowda, 60), Diedhiou.

Subs: Gilmartin (gk), Smith, Semenyo, Paterson.

Shrewsbury Town (3-4-3):

Murphy; Williams, Ebanks-Landell, Pierre; Love, Norburn ©, Goss, Golbourne; Laurent, Udoh (Whalley, 66), Giles (Lang, 87).

Subs: Gregory (gk), Edwards, Beckles, Walker, Cummings.

Referee: John Busby

Attendance: 9,730 (1,123)