Burton Albion 0-4 Shrewsbury - Report

A brace from Christian Saydee gave Town a two-goal cushion at the break in a competitive first half, but Salop won easily in the end when Luke Leahy scored from the spot and Chey Dunkley added a fourth in injury time.

Saydee scored inside 21 seconds in a lightning start, after the forward beat Burton keeper Jordan Amissah to a long ball, and then rolled it into an empty net.

The hosts did bounce back and went close themselves, Chey Dunkley making a massive block to deny John Brayford, and Deji Oshilaja saw a shot deflected inches wide in a competitive first half.

But on the stroke of half-time Salop doubled their lead, when Saydee latched onto a loose ball in the box.

A potential criticism of Shrewsbury is they have not been clinical enough in front of goal, but they certainly were on this occasion getting a valuable lead at the interval.

And Town made it three after the break when Luke Leahy converted a penalty that he had won, to give Steve Cotterill's men a comfortable cushion.

From that point onwards it was about managing the game for Salop, and they defended well limiting their opponents to very few clear-cut opportunities.

And the noisy Salop fans were in dreamland in added time when Chey Dunkley got on the end of a corner to make it four.

ANALYSIS

Before kick-off, Cotterill revealed that Shrewsbury forward Aiden O'Brien looks set to leave this January.

The forward played 45 minutes last weekend but has really struggled for game time since he arrived at the Meadow in the summer, and Salop are looking to offload him in the transfer window.

Cotterill's men were looking to get back to winning ways after their difficult run in league and cup competitions of late.

They were hoping to do the double over Burton Albion after Town were 2-1 victors in the reverse victor at Montgomery Waters Meadow - courtesy of a Ryan Bowman winner.

Speaking of whom, the forward was once again available after he returned from suspension - he was sent off in the Boxing Day clash at Cambridge United - but he had to make do with a place on the bench this time.

Carl Winchester returned to the team, he was not eligible last weekend in the FA Cup clash against the Black Cats - his parent club.

Tom Flanagan picked up a hip injury in the defeat against Fleetwood, but after training all week, he returned to the starting XI. Elliott Bennett had to make do with a place on the bench. Tom Bayliss also had to make do with a place on the bench, the midfielder has been heavily involved all season.

Taylor Moore played at right wing-back, and Killian Phillips played a more advanced midfield role on his second appearance for the club after doing well last weekend.

And after just 21 seconds, Shrewsbury took the lead when Saydee got his fifth goal of the season.

Rob Street did well to loft a ball over the top, and Saydee wanted it more than Jordan Amissah in the Burton goal, he got the better of the keeper, and the forward went on to knock the ball into an empty net.

It was a lightning start from Town who saw headers from Jordan Shipley and Phillips go narrowly wide.

The home side did settle though, and Chey Dunkley prevented Burton from drawing level when he cleared a John Brayford header off the line after a deep cross.

It was a vital interception as it looked like it was going in.

Burton continued to grow into the game, and they came close again when Kamwa got the better of Shipley and put a dangerous cross into the box, but it was cleared by a combination of Dunkley and Pennington before a yellow shirt could turn it in.

They had another chance in that spell when Deji Oshilaja's shot was deflected wide just wide.

The game calmed down for a period as both sides cancelled each other out, but on the stroke of half-time, Shrewsbury doubled their lead when Saydee got his second of the afternoon.

Again, it was great work from Rob Street, as he battled with the Burton defenders in the box, and when the ball fell to Saydee he fired it past Amissah and into the corner.

At the break, the home side introduced Sam Winnall to give them a lift.

But Salop looked comfortable, containing the visitors well and they still offered a threat at the other end, and they got a third, surely putting the game to bed.

Leahy the creator, with a nice piece of skill to get away from Tom Hamer and the defender brought him down with a clumsy challenge and the referee pointed to the spot.

It gave the Salop captain an opportunity from the spot and he obliged to get his sixth goal of the season.

Shrewsbury played with confidence from that point onwards, Leahy saw a powerful strike beaten away by Amissah after good work by Phillips.

The hosts did go close in the final stages when Mustapha Carayol crossed for Winnall but the forward blazed over.

And they were punished again when Dunkley got on the end of a corner in the third minute of stoppage time.

Shrews: Marosi, Dunkley, Pennington, Flanagan, Leahy (Bayliss 89), Winchester, Moore, Phillips, Street (Pyke 75), Shipley, Saydee (Bowman 76). #Salop

Subs: Burgoyne, Bowman, Pyke, Bayliss, Bloxham, Bennett, Barlow.

Burton: Amissah, Brayford, Borthwick-Jackson, Oshilaja, Smith, Adeboyejo, Ndaba, Helm, Taylor ((Winnall 45), Hamer, Kamwa (Carayol 70).

Subs: MacGillivray, Powell, Winnall, Keillor-Dunn, Onyango, Carayol, Dodoo

Attendance: 3,575