Fleetwood 0 Shrewsbury 3 - Report

Shrewsbury swept aside Fleetwood 3-0 with a trio of second-half goals as strike duo Ryan Bowman and Daniel Udoh made it nine goals each for the season either side of Josh Vela’s stunner for his first this term.

Bowman tapped home shortly after half-time at Highbury following a smartly-worked move from Steve Cotterill’s men before Vela struck in style.

There was still time for Udoh to crash in off the crossbar late on after more good Vela work to seal back-to-back league wins for the first time since February.

Shrews climbed two places to 18th - including above their hosts - with the crucial win, a first on the road since at Blackpool’s Bloomfield Road down the coast to ensure survival last season.

The maiden victory and rare clean sheet, ending three away defeats on the spin in League One, was a welcome return for Shrews, who more than doubled their away points haul this term to five from a possible 36.

Youthful Fleetwood, under new head coach Stephen Crainey as permanent boss for the first time, had no answer to powerful Shrewsbury’s killer instinct.

Goals flooded in front of a vociferous away end for Town’s first Boxing Day win since 2014.

Town were handed a festive boost ahead of kick-off with captain Ethan Ebanks-Landell back from a hamstring injury that has plagued the defender for the best part of a month.

The stopper took his place in the heart of the visitors’ back three, which allowed the influential Luke Leahy to be shifted further forward into a midfield role in which he has caught the eye this term.

That was one of two changes for Town for the Boxing Day clash. The other addition to the side was eight-goal striker Bowman, himself back from a hamstring problem from the bench in the win over Cheltenham last week, came in to partner fellow top scorer Udoh.

Josh Daniels made way, with Elliott Bennett at right wing-back, and the other omission was the suspended Tom Bloxham, who starts a ban from last weekend’s red card, which the club did not appeal.

Town and the Cod Army started the crunch clash 20th and 18th respectively, locked on 22 points.

But the hosts have enjoyed a rise in recent weeks thanks to the caretaker stewardship of former Scotland full-back and Highbury Stadium youth boss Crainey, who was given the head coach role on a permanent basis in the week.

Crainey’s influence in caretaker charge had lifted Fleetwood out of the bottom four and above Shrews on goal difference. He involved a number of young players in his ranks.

An open contest in front of a decent atmosphere broke out in the cold, dour settings. Fleetwood rued a decent set-piece opening dropping to centre-half Tom Clarke, whose scuffed effort was missed by forward Gerard Garner, who then shot wide after good work by Harrison Biggins.

Cotterill’s men responded and a long ball released Bowman in on goal, but keeper Alex Cairns stood up well to the striker’s attempted lob.

Leahy and Bowman were just unable to stretch to convert low crosses from Nathanael Ogbeta from the left on separate occasions.

Ogbeta buzzed back into life a couple of minutes before the interval where, after an enterprising run, he volleyed narrowly wide through a cluster of bodies from the edge of the box with Cairns concerned.

After an even first period, the second half could not have started better for Cotterill’s visitors.

Leahy’s fine through ball inside home full-back Carl Johnston released Ogbeta, whose ball across was perfect to give Bowman the simple task to tuck home his ninth of the season after Cairns had gambled outside of his goal.

Home arms were raised in vain but offside protestations were ignored by officials. The few hundred travelling Salop fans made themselves heard as their side led away for the first time this season.

Shrews responded to edging ahead well. The hosts were unable to hit back and were forced to another change on the hour.

It was not until midway through the second half that the Cod Army’s first change, Chris Conn-Clarke, tested Marosi with a sharp run and shot from distance.

Marosi clutched on well from Biggins’ bouncing strike before Cian Hayes could attack the rebound.

The hosts had begun to threaten but, with 18 minutes left, Town put the contest to bed in style.

Udoh powered beyond challenges to the right byline before he pulled back to Vela, who beat a red shirt before a left-footed strike across Cairns into the corner for his first since May.

There was still time for man of the moment Udoh to be found by the impressive Vela and crash in a thumping finish off the crossbar and in, with the woodwork shaking as Salop fans danced on a Christmas in Fleetwood to remember.

Teams

Fleetwood Town (4-5-1): Cairns; Johnston, McLaughlin, Clarke, Andrew (c); Lane, Matete, Biggins, Camps (Morris, 59), Hayes (Johnson, 76); Garner (Conn-Clarke, 36).

Subs not used: Crellin, Clark, Boyle, McMillan.

Shrewsbury Town (3-5-2): Marosi; Pennington, Ebanks-Landell (c), Nurse; Bennett, Davis, Leahy, Vela, Ogbeta (Daniels, 90); Bowman (Cosgrove, 86), Udoh (Pyke, 90).

Subs not used: Burgoyne, Craig, Leshabela, Caton.

Attendance: tbc

Referee: Anthony Backhouse