Doncaster Rovers 1 Shrewsbury Town 0 - Report
Shrewsbury Town were dealt a lesson in finding the killer touch as they somehow fell to a late defeat at basement boys Doncaster.
Rovers climbed off the foot of the League One table through defender Joseph Olowu's header 11 minutes from time, which condemned Town to back-to-back league defeats in the space of four days.
For Rovers it ended five defeats on the spin and was a first win in seven under caretaker Gary McSheffrey. But quite how Steve Cotterill's men left the Keepmoat Stadium empty-handed is anybody's guess.
It was one-way traffic in Shrewsbury's favour for almost the entirety of the second period after an even first half. The visitors were guilty of passing up chance after chance as Rovers remained unconvincing at the back all afternoon but somehow emerged with a clean sheet intact.
Defender Luke Leahy, the best player on the pitch, could have had a hat-trick as Rovers didn't deal with long throws and set-pieces. Striker Daniel Udoh missed two good second-half openings, one particular header which drew a fine stop from young Doncaster goalkeeper Louis Jones.
Marko Marosi in Town's goal was a spectator for the whole second half until Nigerian defender Olowu, a former Arsenal youngster, headed in from close range from Tommy Rowe's corner.
Shrewsbury dropped a place to 20th following the reverse, in which they had 10 efforts at goal but just two on target and paid for the absence of injured top goalscorer Ryan Bowman.
Town, backed on by a rampant away following, can at least take heart from being the better side and forging several opportunities, but their woeful away record in League One continues, having now taken just two points from 11 games on the road.
The visiting players looked crestfallen at the end as they somehow contemplating leaving South Yorkshire with no points against a poor opposition who had won just three from 20 ahead of kick-off. Town were by some way the better side, but lacked the final touch to prove it.
Cotterill had nowhere to go from his threadbare square, with only youngsters on the bench to turn to as the contest got away from his side with injuries and suspension taking their toll.
An energy-sapping week of more than 750 miles on the road in three away games started with FA Cup joy and the prospect of a New Year trip to Anfield, but ended with more despair on the road in the league. It was not how Cotterill wanted his side to start a crucial run of fixtures against teams around Shrews at the foot of the League One table.
Town's side at Doncaster did not include top scorer Bowman. The seven-goal striker injured his calf at Wigan on Wednesday and was forced to to sit out the South Yorkshire trip.
There was intrigue as to who would replace the striker and it was Rekeil Pyke given the nod in a more natural attacking role as Town's threadbare ranks were stretched to the max further still.
Pyke and fellow DW Stadium substitute Sam Cosgrove were criticised by boss Cotterill for their part in Wigan's last-gasp winner for Thelo Aasgaard - as well as their general display after being introduced - on Wednesday.
But the former Wrexham man, who had operated at wing-back in recent weeks, was given another chance further forward this time as Town looked for answers to unavailability issues.
Town did at least keep 18-year-old Tom Bloxham in the starting line-up despite a toe issue. Goalkeeper Marosi returned to his former club.
There was still no place for injured centre-half duo Ethan Ebanks-Landell (hamstring) and Aaron Pierre (knee). Midfielder David Davis served the final of his four-match suspension. Josh Daniels started back-to-back league games for the first time since March.
Hosts Doncaster have endured misery so far this season. With caretaker boss McSheffrey, former under-18s manager, in charge, they had managed just three from 20 league wins.
Former boss Richie Wellens, the ex-Town midfielder, had been sacked recently and Rovers entered the contest six points adrift of safety having lost five of the spin with no wins in six.
Their contingent of three former Shrewsbury players, Jon Taylor, Fejiri Okenabirhie and Ro-Shaun Williams were all missing through injury.
Like Town, Doncaster's matchday 18 was littered with young players.
There was no denying the importance of the contest, although the stadium's emptiness did go some way to highlighting the hosts' struggles this term.
It was the final fixture that the Keepmoat Stadium would be known by that sponsorship name after a 15-year association with the club, and Rovers signed off their Keepmoat era with a memorable late winner to lift off bottom.
Cotterill's men signalled their intentions in the opening minute.
George Nurse's long throw-in from the right side was not defended convincingly and a recycled cross found Bloxham at the back post, who fired across goal from a narrow angle.
Cotterill yelled for Bloxham to get at his defender in the opening minutes as another Shrewsbury ball into the Rovers box was not at all well dealt with before Nathanael Ogbeta curled wide from distance with his weaker right foot.
Manchester United loan youngster Ethan Galbraith threatened to wake the home fans off with a shot well over from outside the box, but Rovers continued to not convince defensively.
Olowu needlessly gifted Udoh possession in a dangerous area before another long Nurse throw caused all manner of problems. It was helped on by Matt Pennington and met at full tilt by a towering Leahy header, but unfortunately for Town the makeshift defender could only direct the effort over the crossbar.
But, for all of their good early work, the visitors almost fell behind after 10 minutes and only some exceptional defending from Leahy stopped them doing so.
An excellent through ball cut between Pennington and Daniels and former Walsall and Coventry man Jordy Hiwula raced on to Marosi's goal. His low effort from a narrow angle beat the Town keeper and was set to nestle in but there was Leahy, who raced back to hack clear. He jumped and celebrated the intervention like a goal, with his manager showing similar passion.
In the midst or aftermath of that incident Marosi was left struggling. He received treatment with Harry Burgoyne sent to warm up, but the first choice was able to continue.
Town struggled to recover from Hiwula's chance. Rovers were given a leg up and attacked with more confidence. They were helped by some unconvincing clearances from the Shrewsbury defence, this time. Stand-in skipper Elliott Bennett and Nurse recovered well to halt Dodoo.
Then, down the other end, Daniels should have done better after being superbly picked out unmarked at the back post by Josh Vela as the hosts called for offside.
Shrewsbury had the ball in the Rovers net midway through the half after more poor defending as Bloxham tore off to celebrate, only for he and the away fans down the end to discover the offside flag was long since raised.
Some wizardry from young Arsenal loan midfielder Matt Smith, who had impressed against Shrewsbury before for Swindon last season, unlocked the visitors. Smith flicked a lobbed pass over the defence for Tommy Rowe, whose tame first-time effort was palmed away by Marosi. Dodoo headed the resulting corner over.
An open clash had broken out, albeit one Town needed more control of, with Udoh isolated and Pyke uninvolved.
Leahy was at his best again to block from ex-Rangers, Wigan and Bolton speedster Dodoo. He then cleared a dangerous cross from Rovers' left before letting rip at Bloxham for not closing down the cross.
Town should have done better with another back-post opening but they were almost afforded too much time between Udoh, Bloxham and Daniels and the former should have shot, but opted to try to pick a pass.
The final 10 or 15 minutes of the opening period, which had started brightly, rather petered out as edginess instead took over. Interval stats showed the hosts had more possessions, shots and efforts on target. Shrewsbury required better in the final third, where young keeper Louis Jones needed to be worked more.
The rain picked up at half-time as darkness descended on South Yorkshire, with the sides emerging for the second half knowing the importance of a winner.
Town were the more dangerous early on in the drenched conditions. Another Nurse throw from the right was flicked on well by Pennington and looked to be perfectly into the path of Leahy, charging on to Jones' goal, to slide in a finish. The defender was unable to find a telling touch to divert in at full stretch.
The first 10 or 15 minutes of the second period were littered with stoppages with worsening conditions doing little to help either side. Rovers almost conceded a comical effort as one clearance struck another red shirt from Bennett's cross.
A tame Ogbeta back post header was claimed by Jones on the hour as vocal Town fans behind that goal ramped up the noise.
Shrews almost responded instantly as Leahy climbed to meet a corner at the back post but his downward header was somehow smothered amid a sea of bodies by Jones. Either side and it was in.
Nurse was then fortunate to somehow escape a caution as he cynically pulled back a Rovers man. Ref Chris Pollard waved play on and Town were lucky Pennington tackled sub Aidan Barlow.
Town had quickly manoeuvred themselves into the driving seat to the point it became one-way traffic.
A combination of Pyke, Udoh and Bloxham were agonizingly unable to turn a low free-kick goalward before Bennett, from the right byline, somehow couldn't pick out a mass of yellow and blue shirts as Jones made a crucial block from his low cross.
Doncaster had capitulated to a side content with sticking it out inside their own third as Town launched a barrage of balls into the box.
With 16 minutes left the visitors passed up a gilt-edged chance to find that winner as Udoh charged through static red shirts through on to a bouncing ball but his downward header was somehow blocked by outward-rushing Jones.
The busy Udoh then flicked Ogbeta's low cross from the left wide across goal as Shrews wondered if it would be their day.
At that stage a goalless draw felt like a disappointing result, but what followed was far worse.
Rovers forced a corner against the run of play and Rowe's inswinger was met by Olowu amid a huddle of bodies in the six yard box. Olowu nodded down and in and it felt like the damage was done.
It was. Town could not respond, the wind was knocked out their sails and Rovers joyously cleared the final deal balls in stoppage time.
Shrewsbury's woes on the road in League One will go on until after Christmas, with Fleetwood on Boxing Day next up away from home. The win at sunny Blackpool in April feels a long while ago.
Teams
Doncaster Rovers (4-2-3-1)
Jones; Knoyle, Anderson (c), Olowu, Horton; Smith (Ravenhill, 83), Galbraith; Hasani (Barlow, 61), Rowe, Hiwula; Dodoo.
Subs not used: Dahlberg, Williams, Cukur, Blythe, Kuleya.
Shrewsbury Town (3-4-2-1):
Marosi; Pennington, Leahy, Nurse; Daniels, Bennett (c), Vela, Ogbeta, Pyke (Leshabela, 82), Bloxham; Udoh.
Subs not used: Burgoyne, Wilson, Kaninda, Craig, Cosgrove, Caton.
Referee: Chris Pollard
