Shrewsbury 1 Oxford 1 - Report

Cameron Brannagan gave the visitors the lead after 15 minutes despite Town having the better of the opening stages.

It was a broken half of football with several cards and lots of fouls, but Salop did have some opportunities to score with Luke Leahy and Rob Street going close.

On the stroke of half-time, Tom Flanagan had a good chance with a header at the back post, but he could not manage to hit the target.

Town pushed in the second half when Leahy went close on multiple occasions, and they finally got the equaliser they deserved with 25 minutes to go when Pennington was on hand to head home.

Marosi made an important block towards the end as both sides searched for a winner - but neither found the net.

Analysis

Oxford have been a bit of a 'bogey' side for Salop in recent times, the U's have won seven of their last eight encounters between the two - with the other a draw.

Their last four trips to Montgomery Waters Meadow have ended in victory for Karl Robinson's side.

You would have to go back to 2017/2018 for Town's last victory over Oxford in League One when Ben Godfrey and Dean Henderson were in the Town team that day, and Paul Hurst was still at the helm.

Before kick-off, Shrewsbury had the chance to go joint seventh with Derby, but Town boss Steve Cotterill was forced into one change prior to the game as Carl Winchester was not fit enough to play from the start.

Elliott Bennett came in to replace him, and Taylor Moore moved into midfield.

The other change was a tactical one by Cotterill with Rob Street - still looking for his first Salop goal - coming in for Rekeil Pyke who dropped to the bench.

And Town made a lightning-fast start.

Moore won the ball back high up the pitch and played in Tom Bayliss, and he carried it to the edge of the area.

Street picked it up in the penalty area and had a great chance to score his first Town goal, but his strike was saved by U's keeper Simon Eastwood going behind for a corner.

And from the resulting corner to the ball was cleared to Shipley, he stood a cross up to the back post where Leahy found himself free, and he volleyed, but Eastwood stood up to it and made the save with his feet.

And as so often happens in football - after a bright Town start - Oxford scored with their first attack of the game.

Chey Dunkley cleared a cross to the edge of the area, and it was picked up by Cameron Brannagan.

He ran into the box and shot through a crowd of players, and his effort was deflected past Marosi, giving the visitors the lead.

Town were bright in the opening stages, and they did not deserve to be behind.

But after the goal, the game struggled to flow. Taylor Moore received yellow, and Kyle Joseph had to be taken off after a strong challenge by Tom Flanagan for which he was booked too.

Due to the stoppages, the referee added eight minutes onto the first half but neither side could build up any momentum with the game being so broken up.

And Bennett found himself in the referee's notebook before the break as well, after a late challenge.

Town could have been on terms at the break when Flanagan missed a free header at the back post right on the stroke of half-time from Bayliss' corner.

Steve Cotterill rolled the dice for Town at half-time and brought on Rekeil Pyke in place of Elliott Bennett in a like-for-like change which saw him slot in at wingback.

The game continued to be scrappy. Leahy had two headers in quick succession the first was blocked by Eastwood, and the second he nodded over the bar.

The boss turned to his bench again on the hour mark to try and inspire a Salop comeback when he introduced Ryan Bowman in place of Street.

They had a great chance to equalise moments later when Pyke pulled the ball back to Leahy on the penalty spot, but his effort was tipped behind for a corner.

And from that, they equalised.

The corner was recycled by Leahy at the back post, and Pennington was there to head it in. Salop deserved to be on terms.

Marosi was forced into a smart stop at the death after he spilt a cross, he flung his body at the re-bound to prevent it from being turned home.

Both sides pushed, but neither was able to get the all-important winner and it finished all square.

Teams

Salop: (3-5-2) Marosi, Dunkley, Flanagan, Pennington, Moore, Leahy, Shipley, Bennett (Pyke 45mins), Bayliss, Saydee, Street (Bowman 60mins).

Subs not used: Burgoyne, Bloxham, Caton, Bailey, Winchester.

Oxford: Eastwood, Bodin (Goodrham 89mins) , Findlay, Moore, Brown, Brannagan, McGuane, Taylor (O'Donker 70mins), Anderson (Mousinho 89mins), Browne, Joseph (Henry 35mins).

Subs not used: McGinty, Rodriguez, Bate.