Shrewsbury Town 1 Charlton 0 - Report

A third goal in three games for the Salop hero lifted his side out of the League One drop zone and up to 19th as Shrewsbury marked Steve Cotteirll's one-year anniversary in charge in memorable style.

The victory was also just a second clean sheet in 25 games this season for the hosts, who have at times found shutouts impossible to hold, but against the in-form Charlton were resilient and deserved their clean sheet.

Charlton arrived in Shropshire in the middle of Storm Arwen's bite and both sides played their part in an entertaining, watchable contest. They left having had a first defeat inflicted in Johnnie Jackson's interim tenure.

It seemed the afternoon was destined for a goalless draw, which would have been a welcome return the hosts in building on Tuesday's point against Sunderland, but there was to be a late spark to warm the souls of Town fans inside Montgomery Waters Meadow.

Charlton were unable to clear their lines from George Nurse's missile throw-in from the right, Sam Cosgrove helped knock it down and there was that man Udoh to keep his composure and drill in a low finish across former Town keeper Craig MacGillivray and in, despite a touch from the keeper.

For former AFC Telford man Udoh, whose name reverberated around the Meadow at full-time, it capped the most memorable of weeks in which he netted against Cheltenham and Sunderland.

The last-gasp winner sparked rampant celebrations, some of the most memorable under Cotterill, on a fitting occasion to mark 365 at the Meadow hotseat. Four points from home games against former Premier League opposition of Sunderland and Charlton caps a week of three fine performances.

For Cotterill it was a 300th victory in English management. He is two games away from 750 games across his nine English clubs.

Town had impressed in their overall display and merited at least a point for a resilient defensive performance as their options were further stretched following the first-half loss of Rekeil Pyke, who limped off with a hamstring complaint. Loanees Khanya Leshabela and Cosgrove, who have played bit-part roles this term, played major parts in pushing their side on.

Josh Vela, Luke Leahy and in particular George Nurse shone but in the end it will be remembered as Udoh's day.

Town hoped to receive good news on the suspension appeal for midfielder David Davis but their team news at 2pm revealed they the ban had not been rescinded. Davis will instead serve a four-match ban, the first of which took place today, due to a second dismissal of the season.

Cotterill had been confident in the club's appeal, but an independent FA panel judged the decision to be fair and the three-match suspension stands.

There was better news on the suspension front for Town as Elliott Bennett returned to the side after a one-match ban in midweek.

But Shrewsbury remained threadbare with defensive duo Ethan Ebanks-Landell (hamstring) and Aaron Pierre (knee) still missing. Cotterill had been coy on their available in midweek.

Due to a lack of options at the back, captain Luke Leahy remained in the heart of a back three, with striker Pyke sticking at right wing-back for consecutive games. Bennett returned to show his flexibility in filling in midfield.

Town's substitutes bench highlighted a lack of depth with availability continuing to bite. Academy defensive trio Callum Wilson, Ben Kaninda and Kade Craig kept their place alongside other youngsters Charlie Caton and Leshabela.

Charlton arrived in Shropshire as the storm wreaked havoc across the nation. Fortunately the snow had stayed away from Shrewsbury the Addicks were in a flurry of form, having not lost in eight league and FA Cup games since caretaker Johnnie Jackson replaced Nigel Adkins.

That run had seen the Londoners storm out of trouble in the League One drop zone, they started the day up in 14th.

Freezing conditions greeted the sides at 3pm but neither set of supporters were in the mood to be silenced by the biting wind.

And Town, roared on by Cotterill who went to collect a pair of gloves ahead of kick-off, started brightly. As one Marko Marosi clearance got held up in the wind halfway through his own half, it become further apparent the wind would dictate the outcome.

The hosts forged the contest's first opportunity. Leahy's corner was only half-cleared and the makeshift centre-half whipped in a delicious ball from the right that was met by the glancing head of Pyke and the fine effort dropped agonizingly wide of the far post, just beyond a sliding Matt Pennington.

Pyke was busy early on, he snapped into challenges on the front foot and got his side moving. Teenager Tom Bloxham, 18, starting his second game in a week, was lively down the right, as was Josh Vela in midfield behind him.

Town started well and dominated the first 15 minutes. Pyke stepped infield confidently and his pass to release Ryan Bowman in the box looked good, but the striker had just strayed offside, which thankfully spared partner Udoh's blushes, who finished wide of an empty net in front of the away end from six yards.

It was one-way traffic and, all of a sudden, former Town goalkeeper Craig MacGillivray was called into some excellent work to keep out Bloxham's fierce first-drive rising drive with a strong, out-stretched hand after excellent approach play from Vela and Pyke.

Cotterill's men stayed on the front foot and worked a neat move for Bennett, who had advanced to the byline, where he stood up a cross that Bowman, while wrestling with a defender, was just unable to work sufficient purchase on the header.

Town fans over towards block 19 appeared to notice some afters between Bowman and Sean Clare, which were spotted by the officials, but a telling off from referee Tom Nield was enough.

It had taken until the midway point of the first period for the visitors to wake up. First skipper Alex Gilbey was allowed too much freedom to charge through Town's midfield before a low, long-range strike was well tipped around the post by Marosi.

Former Villa winger Corey Blackett-Taylor, who once starred to help Micky Mellon's Tranmere down Sam Ricketts' Salop at the Meadow, then showed flashes of his quality. He hung up a good cross for striker Conor Washington to power goalwards. His effort may've dropped in, were it not for Pennington's intervention.

Town could do without further casualties, so the sign of Pyke having dropped on this near side, before he received extensive treatment and hobbled off, was not a good one.

The makeshift wing-back had started the game well but headed straight down the tunnel and loanee Leshabela was stripped, to gleeful and ironic cheers from the home fans. The South African Foxes youngster had not played League One football for his loan club since his debut in the Plymouth home defeat in August.

He took his place in midfield as Bennett shuffled back out to wing-back.

Charlton had, by this point, upped their game and began to look after the ball. The Addicks asked questions of Town's backline, who responded strongly and well.

As the temperature dipped further over the interval, so did the need for a Town goal as fans saw their side a place further down in 22nd in the live league table.

But it was the visitors who started the second period in the ascendency and Marosi was forced into a smart double save to keep out an unmarked Washington header at the near post, before dealing with the scrambled follow-up.

Shrewsbury responded, however. George Nurse caught the eye again with some astute use of the ball. He galloped through the middle of the pitch and released Bowman in on goal. The striker drew an excellent save from MacGillivray's leg with his one-v-one effort, but a belated flag suggested he was just offside.

The atmosphere had remained red-hot on a freezing afternoon and the local faithful were encouraged further as their side almost managed a delightful opener.

Intricate feet from Udoh on the left worked the ball to Ogbeta, who charged forward before he released Bloxham on the left. The confident youngster checked into the box on to his right foot and curled a fierce striker a foot or two over the crossbar.

Interim Addicks chief Jackson sent for on-loan Birmingham talent Jonathan Leko to inspire his side after the hour mark.

With the contest on a knife-edge, Cotterill responded by sending on Sam Cosgrove for the tiring Bloxham, who had played well.

There was nothing to separate the sides as the clash entered its final 20 minutes. Goalscoring opportunities were few and far between in either penalty area, but the feeling in the air was there was still some drama to come.

Town showed further evidence of their defensive qualities in abundance into the final 10 minutes. Charlton sub Leko reached the right byline and the cross beat Marosi at his near post and, with at least two white shirts ready to pounce, Pennington somehow cleared his own crossbar with a clearing header. It was as good as a goal.

Nurse, Pennington's defensive colleague, had caught the eye again and was one of the standout performers on the pitch, not for the first time this week. He stepped out excellently having read a Charlton move before he drew a stonewall yellow card from Clare.

It had been an enjoyable afternoon but the final five minutes seemed to kick into life again.

Udoh, Ogbeta and others continued to lead the charge. If anything it was the hosts who looked like forcing some late drama. But there was still time for Charlton's Gilbey to fire a deflected shot over after - for once - Town couldn't clear.

Four minutes were added on for either side to find a winner, by which point surely most inside the Meadow had given up any hope of late excitement.

How wrong they were.

Town continued to ask questions and Nurse's launch into the box from the right drew some unconvincing Addicks defending. Pennington helped it on, Cosgrove helped it on, before an excitable shriek filled the air as the ball dropped to Udoh in the inside right channel of the box.

The striker did as he does best, acting on instinct, and drove a fierce low finish towards the far corner. MacGillivray - one of the best keepers in the division - appeared to have read it well, but even his hand could not keep an effort of that power out, as the ball crept into the far corner.

The Meadow erupted. Udoh and his delirious colleagues lost themselves in the South Stand celebrations and a brilliant memory was created. But, for the moment in the here and now, the crucial three points lifts Cotterill's men out of the drop zone and hopefully on to brighter things. It was an anniversary to savour.

Shrewsbury Town (3-5-2):

Marosi; Pennington, Leahy, Nurse; Pyke (Leshabela, 33), Bennett, Vela, Udoh, Ogbeta; Bowman, Bloxham (Cosgrove, 69).

Subs not used: Burgoyne, Wilson, Kaninda, Craig, Caton.

Charlton Athletic (3-5-2):

MacGillivray; Clare, Famewo, Purrington; Blackett-Taylor (Jaiyesimi, 73), Dobson, Lee, Gilbey, Souare; Washington, Davison (Leko, 62).

Subs not used: Henderson, Gunter, Morgan, Kirk, Watson.

Attendance: 6,158 (949 Charlton fans)

Referee: Tom Nield