Shrewsbury hit the goal trail again
During Shrewsbury’s difficult Christmas period, Steve Cotterill said if his players continue to do the right things he hoped results would turn around.
But not even the most optimistic of fans could have predicted such a swift and stark change in fortunes for Shrewsbury.
They have now scored nine goals in the last two matches which has seen them climb six places in the League One table at the time of writing – back into the top half.
The players put in a tremendous shift against Sunderland in the FA Cup, and despite a heartbreaking stoppage-time comeback from the Black Cats, they have continued to progress from there on.
Saturday was a revenge mission for Town, after their Boxing Day defeat to a poor Cambridge United side was a bitter pill to swallow – it was a game they should never have lost – and it started their tricky festive run.
But the visitors were put to bed in style this time around as Salop ran riot at Montgomery Waters Meadow, smashing in five goals.
And with the fresh legs from the bench adding impetus in the second half, Salop could have added more – it certainly would not have been surprising given their dominance in the clash.
In truth, the performances over the last two games have not been too different – Shrews have been consistent throughout the League One campaign.
But over the last two weekends, they have added ruthlessness to their game, with the U’s punished for any slight mistake they made.
Earlier in the campaign, Shrews had struggled in games to kill teams off despite having some really good opportunities, but recently even the half-chances are finding the back of the net.
In the summer, the Town boss was keen to add further quality to his squad rather than having more players, and that quality has been on show in the last two weeks.
Perhaps the perfect example of that at the weekend was some of the goals Town scored – it was edge-of-the-seat stuff for the just under 6,000 fans at the Meadow.
Town were not quite at it in the opening exchanges, something Cotterill was keen to point out after the game. It was the U’s who had the early pressure, despite not creating anything clear-cut.
The game changed in the 33rd minute when Luke Leahy scored from the spot after great work between Matthew Pennington and Rob Street on the right side. Leahy kept up his 100 per cent record from penalties, sending Cambridge’s keeper Will Mannion the wrong way.
It sparked Town into life. Jordan Shipley went close, as did Street, but the second goal – and perhaps most important – was a fantastic individual effort from Shipley on first-half stoppage time.
A corner was cleared by the visitors to Taylor Moore on the edge of the box and he put it on a plate for his opposite wing-back, who bent it into the top corner. It was a wonderful strike and a reminder of the quality the former Coventry man has in those forward areas. He now has five goals this season.
If Town were to score five, you would expect their goalscoring centre-back Pennington to get on to the scoresheet – he always seems to. And he netted his sixth goal of the season here just after half-time, getting his head to Leahy’s corner. His record is quite ridiculous for a right-sided centre-half.
The visitors did get what turned out to be a consolation when Joe Ironside got the better of Moore to head past Mark Marosi, but Salop’s three-goal cushion was soon restored when the in-form Christian Saydee netted his fifth goal in his last six League One games.
He raced on to a ball over the top, but still had so much to do as he was a long way from goal. He beat Jubril Okedina for pace and strength before sitting Mannion down and finishing past the two defenders on the line. The second simply brilliant individual goal of the afternoon to add to the Bournemouth loanee’s impressive form recently.
And to round off an outstanding afternoon’s work, Shrews’ skipper Leahy – who epitomises everything good about this team – added his eighth of the season, and his second of the game, in stoppage time.
He picked up the ball on the edge of the box, and riffled it into the top corner, another half-chance – but Salop were in the mood and it finished 5-1.
They got some reward last weekend at the Pirelli Stadium when they beat strugglers Burton, but this was even better – it looked like men against boys.
It is a great way for Cotterill’s team to start a busy week of football as they head to MK Dons tomorrow night before welcoming Forest Green Rovers to the Meadow on Saturday as they seek to do the double over both sides.
