Shrewsbury Town 1 MK Dons 1 - Report and pictures

The Town defender thrashed a fine finish into the top corner just after the hour for Sam Ricketts’ side, to the relief of all around Montgomery Waters Meadow.

But Beckles was caught on the ball 13 minutes from time and, after Joe Murphy had denied Sam Nombe, Rhys Healey converted the loose ball to equalise in an entertaining finale.

For Salop, who were aiming to put Liverpool FA Cup disappointment out of their heads on the return to bread and butter League One action, the hunt for a first since league win since December 21 heads on to the visit of Accrington Stanley on Tuesday night.

It appeared like Beckles had made the difference with a belting finish after Shrews, who remain 16th, had not punished MK Dons’ bemusing idea to play the ball out from the back.

Either side could have found a winner after Healey’s equaliser as Town fired wide on a couple of occasions before the hosts were twice saved by the woodwork - adding to ex-Town man Louis Thompson’s strike on to the post at the end of the first half.

And frustration continues among supporters who sounded boos at the full-time whistle as another opportunity for maximum points came and went.

Town fans were still trying to understand why Andy Madley and his VAR officials ruled out Shaun Whalley’s Anfield header four days ago.

But minds could no longer drift back to what could have been in the FA Cup as Ricketts’ men desperately needed to turn round their recent league woes.

No success in seven League One games have seen Shrews’ play-off aspirations slowly ebb away.

Town have played a lot of football recently, something Ricketts was keen to point out after the Anfield defeat, and - with that in mind - the Meadow chief rang the changes for the Dons visit.

There were six alterations to the Cup team in total. There was a home debut for Conor McAleny - who so impressed at Rochdale last week - and a Shrewsbury debut for Southampton loanee Kayne Ramsay among the additions.

Ricketts also switched his goalkeeper as Murphy replaced Max O’Leary, Beckles came in for Scott Golbourne at left-wing and Jason Cummings partnered Daniel Udoh as the two strikers, in for the injured Shaun Whalley and Callum Lang.

As well as a couple of new names for the home faithful there were some familiar faces in MK white.

Carlton Morris, one of the heroes of Town’s run to the play-off final two seasons ago, led the line after switching loan clubs from Rotherham to MK Dons from Norwich.

Another Canary in the visiting line-up was Louis Thompson. A Shrewsbury midfielder before Christmas, where he featured 14 times, scoring once.

Dons, under rookie boss Russell Martin after the sacking of Paul Tisdale earlier in the campaign, had improved their form since and put daylight between themselves and the bottom three - but were reliant on Stadium MK form for joy rather than on the road.

They arrived with the second-poorest away record in League One, two points better off than Bolton, having won just once and taken three points from a possible 30 on their travels.

In what was a subdued atmosphere after 8,000 Salopians sang themselves hoarse on Merseyside, there was a sense of intrigue in how this new-look Town side would perform.

Ramsay, a well thought of right-back given his Premier League debut by Ralph Hasenhuttl against Manchester City more than 12 months ago, was in discussion with Ro-Shaun Williams early on as the began their new right-sided defensive partnership.

The hosts started the brighter in blustery conditions which threatened to affect the flight of the ball.

Beckles set the tone in his alternate left wing-back role with some high pressing inside the first minute.

Front pairing Cummings and Udoh sensed joy in snapping at the visitors’ risky passing out from the back mantra.

Cummings and the bright McAleny combined well for the latter to cross towards Udoh, who could only stretch to head over an awkward chance in the first opening in front of goal of note.

Dons were their own worst downfall as keeper Lee Nicholls constantly looked for the short pass away from goal. Udoh gobbled up another chance as he charged the shot-stopper down only for his touch and subsequent cross to get away from him with the Nicholls beat.

The visitors were not looking at all convincing in their style of playing it out from the back.

But the game could have swung on 21 minutes as referee Peter Wright pointed to the penalty spot after Murphy had appeared to clatter into Morris from a clever quickly-taken throw.

But the official, having seemingly made up his mind, must have received advice from a colleague and he changed his mind to give a corner.

Where is VAR when you need it?

Town and Murphy, who pleaded their innocence, were relieved and managed to defend the corner despite the bodies piled in on the vateran goalkeeper.

MK continued to live on the edge as Town fans goaded Nicholls and the away defence as they attempted to measure passes from defence.

Home debutant McAleny was sharp and purposeful with the ball. He played Udoh in space, who ignored the Beckles overlap but delayed his shot outside the box and the chance was snuffed out.

McAleny drove a low shot from 25 yards at Nicholls as Shrews fans ironically cheered the effort.

Dons midfielder Alex Gilbey looked a threat, firing into the near side netting before another fierce drive wide at the same post.

But the visitors’ Achilles Heel was their questionable decision to live life on the edge with passing in their own third. On a handful of occasions the ball was hurriedly shunted out of play and pressed.

Goalkeeper Nicholls was caught again as his wayward pass fell to McAleny, but Shrews’ Fleetwood loanee couldn’t take advantage as the recovering custodian just got a touch to divert the effort wide.

The action was evenly balanced before the break but Shrewsbury were thanking their lucky stars to go into half-time level.

Former Shrews loan midfielder Thompson weaved through into the left side of Shrewsbury’s penalty area and struck a drilled low effort goalwards. The ball looked to be arrowing across goal towards the bottom corner but cannonned off the post and almost along the goal line into Murphy’s grateful grasp.

The presence and unwarranted touch by striker Healey on the back post may have hindered his own team-mate’s effort.

Either way, Ricketts and his side were fortunate not to have faced a deficit heading into the dressing room.

Udoh had been a presence in Town’s attack all afternoon and continued that theme in a busy personal start to the second period.

But a scrappy second half, not aided by conditions, broke out. Town and skipper Dave Edwards were grateful for Aaron Pierre’s goal-saving challenge to deny Morris who had broken free into the box.

Ricketts wasted no time making changes in the second half as Sean Goss was sent on for debutant Ramsay, prompting Town into a back four.

Lang was Town’s second change and arrived just after the hour for Cummings and barely a minute later Salop had lift off - but they made hard work of it.

Dons’ decision to pass out was their undoing as Jordan Moore-Taylor tried to be clever but gifted it to the tireless Udoh.

Udoh charged into the box, his rolled a clever pass across the box to Lang who took his time with the net almost gaping. A fine block kept Lang out before Udoh was denied by Nicholls’ sprawling figure. It looked like the chance had gone.

But Lang had the presence of mind to lay the ball back towards the edge of the box, where Josh Laurent and Beckles were waiting.

And it was the latter that took charge as Beckles guided a powerful first-time finish from 22 yards over the retreating Dons bodies and into the top left corner.

Beckles’ third goal of the season felt like a huge one as relief soared around the Meadow.

Ricketts’ men tried to capitalise in the significant wind in their sails as the sharp McAleny powered forward before lashing over.

Dons had not down tooled despite poor efforts from evergreen skipper Dean Lewington, well over into away fans, and Healey’s hapless cross-shot at the far post after neat build-up play.

And Martin’s men were rewarded for their persistence 13 minutes from time as goalscorer Beckles was this time punished.

The defender was caught bringing the ball clear and, as Laurent slipped, Sam Nombe found himself one-on-one against Murphy.

The keeper made a parried save to keep out Nombe’s effort but there was Healey to convert the rebound from the left side of the box to send the away fans behind that goal into bedlam.

An open final 15 minutes or so including stoppages saw both sides press for another opener - with Shrewsbury unfortunate on a couple of occasions.

Laurent was powerful on the break and opted for Udoh instead of Lang on a three-on-two counter. Town’s ex-Telford man’s powerful low strike was well turned round the post by Nicholls.

Town were purposeful as the action entered its final 10 minutes. Lang fired wide at the near post before McAleny guided a good curler fractions wide from the edge of the box.

It looked like Udoh was presented with a golden ticket three minutes from time as he blocked another hapless Nicholls clearance but couldn’t get the power or lift on his strike to convert over the stricken keeper. Seconds later McAleny smashed at Nicholls after the visitors had again lost possession.

But, just as the woodwork saved Shrewsbury at the end of the first half, it did so again at the closing stages.

Healey’s cracker from distance way out to the left dipped devilishly over Murphy and crashed on to the bar, only for Nombe to head the rebound over from six yards.

The visitors kept coming. Eye-catching midfielder Gilbey powered across the pitch and lashed a low strike inches wide that cracked off the stanchion behind the goal.

Another fine Gilbey run and ball in from the right found forward Nombe in added time but he could only turn on to the post before Dons sub Regan Poole fizzed a low strike on to the side netting.

The visitors pushed and pushed and ended on top on an afternoon that could’ve ended 5-5 as murmurs of disgruntlement were heard at full-time.

Teams

Shrewsbury Town (3-4-3):

Murphy; Williams, Ebanks-Landell, Pierre; Ramsay (Goss, 53), Laurent, Edwards ©, Beckles; McAleny, Udoh, Cummings (Lang, 61).

Subs not used: O’Leary (gk), Golbourne, Sears, Love, Hart.

MK Dons (4-3-3):

Nicholls; Williams, Moore-Taylor, Brittain (Poole, 71), Lewington; Gilbey, Thompson (McGrandles, 65), Houghton, Nombe, Morris, Healey.

Subs not used: Fisher (gk), Walsh, Reeves, Gladwin, Kasumu.

Referee: Peter Wright

Attendance: 5,791 (447 MK Dons fans)