Exeter 0 Shrewsbury 0 - Report
Shrewsbury's six-game winning streak came to end in a competitive goalless draw in Devon against Exeter City.
Town entered the game with the opportunity to win seven League One games in succession for the first time in almost three decades and they fought hard for a point in an entertaining clash at St James Park.
The first 45 minutes was an all-action affair, Shrews' Tom Bayliss hit the bar and Killian Phillips saw a shot go straight at Gary Woods early on.
Joe White found some space in the Town box for the hosts, but his effort went way over.
Elliott Bennett, starting his second game in succession, saw a curling free-kick go narrowly wide.
Christian Saydee went close for Town when a cross fell to him at the back post, and on the stroke of half-time Demetri Mitchell could have opened the scoring when the hosts countered, but he shot wide.
The second half was quieter but Town went close on a couple of occasions with Bennett and Bayliss having efforts that went wide.
Marosi made one fantastic save to deny Alex Hartridge from a corner as the game wore on, and despite both team's best efforts the game ended goalless.
Analysis
Shrewsbury arrived at St James Park in Devon looking to keep up their fantastic winning run - which has seen them win every League One game since New Year's Day.
Steve Cotterill was sweating on the fitness of Matthew Pennington and Carl Winchester ahead of kick-off.
Pennington, who took a blow to the head in the win against Forest Green Rovers, had trained over the weekend but did not make it.
Carl Winchester did, he picked up a calf problem on Saturday, but recovered in time to make the starting XI.
Luke Leahy continued at left centre-back alongside Chey Dunkley and Taylor Moore.
Bennett and Jordan Shipley were again the wing-backs with Killian Phillips playing in a midfield two with Winchester.
Bayliss, who was good at the weekend, played just behind the strikers - Ryan Bowman and Saydee.
Not 10 minutes into the clash Bayliss had a great chance to give Shrewsbury the advantage.
Bennett fizzed a cross into the box, and it came to Bayliss at the back post, his first touch took it beyond the Exeter defender, he had just the keeper to beat, but his volley crashed against the bar.
Town went close again when Phillips got on the end of Leahy's cross, but his effort went straight at Woods who gathered.
Joe White found some space in the Town box, but his effort, on his favoured left foot, went high and wide when he really should have hit the target.
Shipley and Saydee linked up nicely on a couple of occasions, and on one the wing-back got the better of Harry Kite, he hit the byline, but there was no one there for Salop to turn it home.
Marko Marosi was forced into a good save when Kevin McDonald shot from distance, it was a comfortable save for the goalkeeper but one he needed to make with the effort on target.
It was an entertaining first half in Devon, with lots of shots on goal.
Elliott Bennett went extremely close with a free-kick from 30 yards, but his deadball went inches wide of Woods' post, as did Saydee when the ball fell to him from a cross. but he could direct his effort on target.
Town were almost guilty of overplaying when they lost the ball on the edge of the Exeter penalty area, the hosts broke and Demetri Mitchell went through on goal, but he miscued his shot, and it went harmlessly wide.
Town almost took within minutes of the re-start, Bayliss pulling the strings again to find Saydee, Bennett overlapped but the hosts smuggled it behind.
Exeter saw shouts for a penalty waved away by referee Ben Speedie, firstly when Winchester put in a challenge after a corner was cleared and then when Moore appeared to pull back Stansfield.
The second half was quieter, and Town defended deeper happy to let their opponents have the ball.
There was an injury concern for Cotterill though, Moore had to be replaced by Rekeil Pyke as he picked up a problem.
Tom Bloxham was introduced by the Town boss, the pair did brilliantly to combine to create another chance for Bayliss, the ball made its way to him in the area and is shot went just over.
The visitors had their best opportunity of the half when Alex Hartridge forced Marosi into a brilliant point-blank save from a corner.
Pyke made an impact, and he had an effort on the half turn that he blazed over the bar but the game ended all square.
Teams
Shrews: Marosi, Moore (Pyke 71), Dunkley, Leahy, Shipley, Bennett, Winchester, Phillips, Bayliss (Street 91), Saydee (Bloxham 71), Bowman.
Subs: Burgoyne, Bailey, Barlow.
Exeter: Woods, Hartridge, Mitchell (Nombe 81), Collins, Stansfield (Harper 91), White (Scott 57), Key, Aimson, Kite, Grounds (Sweeny 91), McDonald (Caprice 81).
Subs: Sparkes,Chauke
