Shrewsbury 5-0 Morecambe - Report
Shrewsbury Town went goal crazy in dismantling Morecambe for a biggest league win in more than seven years.
The hapless Shrimps were hammered 5-0 at Montgomery Waters Meadow with Luke Leahy and Daniel Udoh at the double and Ryan Bowman also on target.
A goal glut of four inside 20 minutes in a rampant second half condemned doomed Morecambe to a miserable 5-0 reverse.
Top scorer Udoh got the ball rolling with a close-range goal one minute before half-time but few could have predicted what was to follow for Steve Cotterill's side after the interval, as Town recorded a biggest league win since October 2014 over Bury - also 5-0.
Scoring goals has been Shrewsbury's Achilles Heel but Salop located their shooting boots in style in this thrilling, five-star display on a night 17th-placed Town moved nine points clear of danger.
Cotterill once more opted against making any changes to Town's starting line-up as the same side were handed another chance following the Oxford reverse.
The substitute bench remained the same too, with a recovered Shaun Whalley among the manager's options in reserve.
Derek Adams' Shrimps, without a win in 10, were low on confidence and momentum heading to Shropshire as what started as quite an optimistic debut League One campaign had slipped away and seen them drop to 22nd and firmly in trouble .
Scot Adams, who led the Shrimps to promotion last term before leaving for Bradford, had replaced St Mirren bound Stephen Robinson back at his former club since the initial fixture was postponed last month due to heavy rain.
Morecambe's sole change was to include former Town midfielder Aaron Wildig to the side that was poorly beaten 3-1 at home by Cheltenham on Saturday.
Home striker Udoh started with decent purpose as two surges forward to the edge of Morecambe's box caused some concern.
The struggling visitors looked intent to sit off Town and work the counter-attack. It almost paid off as lively left wing-back Greg Leigh crossed low for top scorer Cole Stockton, who spun well but shanked well over.
Shrews looked quite bright down the flanks but any early buzz faded into a contest low on action.
It took until midway through the first period for Cotterill's men to forge the game's first real opening at goal.
Midfielder Josh Vela was key to the opportunity, his energy and persistence worked the chance. Vela beat a defender on the right touchline and his low cross was perfect for Bowman, but the striker's first-time swept strike flew a few inches over.
An injury break did little for a sluggish game's momentum and Shrews were grateful for a big let-off after half hour. Stockton's run down the right was a good one and his low cross fed an unmarked Wildig eight yards out but the midfielder wastefully lifted well over.
Attacks and moves were not coming off for the hosts but, with just one minute of normal time remaining, they found a breakthrough.
The opener arrived down the left as the busy George Nurse broke into the penalty area and delivered a fine, fizzed low cross which bamboozled statuesque Morecambe defenders and was pounced upon by Udoh, who couldn't miss as he slid in for a timely first goal in nine games.
Morecambe were out for the second period a good few minutes before their hosts - and those extra 120 seconds or so truly worked their magic.
What arrived over the next 25 minutes was quite something. Defender Tom Flanagan found space to thump an optimistic strike from 25 yards, which midfielder Toumani Diagouraga leaned into. Referee Darren Drysdale immediately awarded a penalty 38 seconds into the half.
Leahy was typical composed from 12 yards as he thrashed a low penalty into the right corner with Trevor Carson diving the other way. The floodgates had opened.
Five minutes later Leahy had a sublime second, showing every ounce of quality in his gifted left foot.
A right-sided cross was only half-cleared and Leahy collected possession well before he curled a sublime strike into the top left corner for a magical third.
They kept coming. On 66 minutes Udoh thrashed in a quite wonderful fourth. He outmuscled a hapless defender after racing on to a high ball, spun with stylish ease and dispatched a confident rocket high into Carson's net.
The Meadow was unsurprisingly rocking as goals arrived almost every attack. Cotterill introduced Whalley and Tom Bloxham midway through the half and barely 30 seconds later Leahy's free-kick picked out Bowman at the back post and his fine header looped in over poor Carson.
Suffice to say the remainder of the evening was a procession. Town fans basked in long-awaited goal glory and enjoyed their rendition of songs on a ruthless evening to remember.
Shrewsbury Town (3-5-2): Marosi; Pennington, Ebanks-Landell (c), Flanagan; Bennett (Daniels, 74), Fornah, Leahy, Vela (Whalley, 67), Nurse; Udoh (Bloxham, 67), Bowman.
Subs not used: Burgoyne, Pierre, Bondswell, Janneh.
Morecambe (3-5-2): Carson; Gibson (Mensah, 84), Bedeau, O'Connor (c); McLoughlin, Diagouraga, McCalmont (Cooney, 68), Wildig, Leigh; Stockton, Connolly (Ayunga, 74).
Subs not used: Smith, Obika, Gnahoua, Fane.
Attendance: 5,804 (284 Morecambe fans)
Referee: Darren Drysdale
