Shrewsbury 0 Cheltenham 1 - Report
Shrewsbury Town fell to a narrow defeat to Cheltenham on a frustrating and feisty evening at the Meadow - which saw both teams have a man sent off in the second half.
Salop had good opportunities to score in both periods and were sucker punched by Cheltenham just before half-time.
Steve Cotterill would have been pleased with the way his side started the clash, they were on the front foot from the off and Tom Bayliss missed a golden chance to give his side the lead, firing over from six yards.
Rob Street and Luke Leahy also went close for Salop as they pushed for an opener, but it was the Robins who got themselves on the scoresheet after Dan N'Lundulu turned Ryan Jackson's cross beyond Marko Marosi.
Salop continued to push for an equalising goal, Jordan Shipley and Christian Saydee went close with headers, and moments later Bayliss fired wide again.
Neither side would leave the field with their full quota of players though, as Luke Leahy and Charlie Raglan were sent off after a confrontation as tempers spilt over.
Town were unable to find a way through at the end.
Analysis
Shrewsbury were looking to bounce back from a disappointing result on Boxing Day, and they would have been glad to be back at Montgomery Waters Meadow, where they had won their last three games in all competitions.
The side would have been given a lift by the news earlier in the day that Crystal Palace midfielder Killian Phillips had joined the club on loan for the rest of the season - he was at the Meadow watching his new teammates for the first time.
Elliott Bennett, who has been missing since the start of November, returned to the Town bench in more positive news for Steve Cotterill, as the team's injury problems seem to have eased slightly.
Tom Flanagan, who was selected against Cambridge but dropped out 20 minutes before kick-off, was fit enough to regain his place in the starting XI.
It was a quiet opening 15 minutes, where there was very little goalmouth action.
Town perhaps looked the brighter of the two sides though enjoying 60 per cent of the possession.
And they had a brilliant chance to take the lead when Christian Saydee dispossessed Sercombe in the Robins box, he squared the ball to Tom Bayliss who looked like he had a simple tap in, but he hit his effort from six to eight yards out, over the bar when he should have scored.
It was just the reaction Cotterill would have been looking for from his team, they kept the visitors under pressure and had another chance to take the lead when Luke Leahy got after a recycled corner, he could have shot, but he crossed the ball instead right across the six-yard box, it was sublime, but there was nobody there to tap it into an empty net.
Street fired over too for Salop but they could not find a way past Southwood, and after 38 minutes, where Cheltenham had offered very little threat, the Robins took the lead.
A cross came in from the right side from Ryan Jackson, and as Chey Dunkley attempted to clear, N'Lundulu got in front to turn it home.
It was completely against the run of play, and Town had been made to pay a high price after a very positive start.
After the break, Town started in the same way as they did the first, well on top.
Saydee headered over, after great work from Taylor Moore to get the better of the fullback and stand up a cross, and then moments later it was Shipley's turn to try and header the ball home but his effort was denied by the acrobatic Luke Southwood.
How Shrews were behind in the game was difficult to fathom, but they kept on searching for the equaliser with Bayliss firing inches wide when collecting the ball on the edge of the Robins' area.
The complexion of the game changed in the 70th minute when Charlie Raglan and Town skipper Leahy were sent from the field.
The pair had got involved in a melee after a bad challenge on Shipley, and after referee Sam Purkiss consulted his fourth official he sent both players from the field.
Town threw on Bennett and Tom Bloxham in the closing stages to try and find a way back into the game but could not.
Teams
Shrews: Marosi, Dunkley (Bennett 85), Pennington, Flanagan, Moore, Shipley, Winchester, Leahy, Bayliss (O'Brien 90), Saydee, Street (Bloxham 85).
Subs: Burgoyne, Pyke, O'Brien, Bennett, Barlow, Bailey, Bloxham.
Southwood, Freestone, Long, Taylor, Sercombe, Bonds, Ferry (Williams 73), Broom (Macdonald 73), Olayinka, N'Lundulu (Norton 80), May (Olayunka 80).
Subs: Long, Williams, Brown, MacDonald, Perry, Norton, Olayinka.
