Steve Cotterill relieved to avoid Shrewsbury FA Cup shock

Town beat National League side York City in the first round proper after a tough game at Montgomery Waters Meadow – and they will now take their place in Monday's draw.

Cotterill's side played some good football in the first half and deservedly led at the break, however, they were unable to sustain those levels in the second half, but they did enough to see the game out and clinch an important win.

Elsewhere in the competition, fellow League One clubs Cheltenham and Lincoln were knocked out by non-league opposition, and the Town boss was glad his side avoided that to take their place in the next round.

He said: "I'm thankful that we're into the next round. I think that was important for the crowd and the prize money – that'll be a massive help.

"Now we're in the second round we have to do what clubs our size always try and do and get through to the third round.

"It was a tough game. We knew it would be a tough game coming into it and I don't think the players have subconsciously taken York lightly today, we just didn't function how we have functioned."

Town scored in the first minute Jordan Shipley tapped home at the back post, and they should have led by more with Town missing several chances to increase their lead.

Captain Luke Leahy scored from the penalty spot, but Manny Duku hit back straight away for the visitors to make it 2-1 at half-time.

And in the last 10 minutes, Shrews had more chances to kill the game off and Cotterill thinks they should have scored a lot more.

"Forget the two goals," he continued.

"We must have created four or five other great chances where we've either pulled it wide or the keeper has made a great save or it's been blocked.

"I could've been stood here with it being six or seven, but we didn't take them.

"We didn't do that, and we end up being nervous, we don't want Duku to get his head on another one and for it to drop down and to then be looking at a replay when really, the game should've been out of sight at half-time.

"There will be shocks because these are difficult games.

"I suppose all's well that ends well, but it's been a difficult day at the end of a difficult week, but thankfully, we're through to the second round, and that's what you've got to do."

Town had a setback early in the game when loanee Carl Winchester went off with a problem with his left leg, and Cotterill said they will know more early next.

He said: "He had a knock during the week, but we thought he'd be okay, and he thought he'd be okay.

"I didn't want to play Elliott Bennett, I wanted to give him a breather, and he had a whack on his Achilles, so I wanted to rest him.

"Luke Leahy's lip is the size of that microphone; he's got a nasty cut on it.

"We're absolutely threadbare at the moment, and it's just mounting up ahead of a tough week."

Town have two League One home fixtures coming up this week, first they take on Oxford on Wednesday, and then they welcome Barnsley on Saturday.