Accrington Stanley 1 Shrewsbury 0 - Report

Steve Cotterill's men fell to a narrow 1-0 defeat at the Wham Stadium despite creating a host of second-half chances that could have seen them take a point.

The hosts were the brighter of the two sides in the first half, and they took the lead in the 13th minute when Aaron Pressley fired beyond Marko Marosi from a Rosaire Longelo cross.

They could have added another when former Salop favourite Shaun Whalley hit the outside of the post with a looping header.

Ryan Bowman did go close for Shrews at the end of the half when he latched onto a poor back pass from an Accrington defender, but his effort was saved.

Town started like lightning after the break with Matthew Pennington seeing a header denied and half-time substitute Rekeil Pyke hitting the bar with his first touch.

Pyke had made a real impact, and he went through on goal moments later seeing another effort well saved by Lukas Jensen.

Town pushed for an equaliser as the game wore but despite another Pennington header and a Luke Leahy effort in stoppage time, it ended in defeat.

Analysis

Shrews arrived at Accrington unbeaten in seven League One matches.

The two sides had not met since August 6 in what was Salop's first home league clash of the season - the game ended in a 1-0 win for John Coleman's side.

More than 700 hundred Shrewsbury fans made the journey to Lancashire to see if their side could remain within touching distance of the play-offs, and a win would take the team beyond the magic 50-point mark with 14 games left to play.

Steve Cotterill made two changes to the side that got a goalless draw in Devon earlier this week.

Tom Flanagan and Matthew Pennington came back into the starting XI after brief absences.

Taylor Moore, who picked up a groin problem in midweek, missed out despite Cotterill saying his injury may not have been as bad as first thought.

Tom Bayliss also dropped out of the side even though he was good against Exeter.

Tommy Leigh should have seen red for the hosts in the first minute for an elbow on Christian Saydee, but it was not seen by the officials.

And the hosts took the lead in the 13th minute with the first clear-cut chance of the game, Longelo got away down Shrews' left side, the winger got half a yard on Flanagan, and his near post cross was turned in by Pressley.

It was a scrappy game in Lancashire, and Town were unable to create too much in the opening 30 minutes.

In fact, it was the visitors who looked the more likely, and they almost doubled their lead when former Salop winger Whalley hit the post with a looping header after Longelo cut inside on his left foot and put in a dangerous ball.

Despite a tough first half Town could quite easily have been level at the break, Bowman got on the end of Harvey Rodgers' poor pass back to Jensen, and the forward had just the keeper to beat, but the goalkeeper made himself big and stopped strike.

The Shrewsbury boss went to his bench at the break introducing Bayliss and Pyke and the latter made an immediate impact.

First Pennington saw a near post header denied in the six-yard box and the ball came out to Pyke, who took a touch and curled an effort onto the bar with his left foot.

And moments later, he was in again, his first touch taking him away from the defender, just Jensen to beat, but the keeper got down well to deny him.

Jordan Shipley saw an effort go narrowly over the bar when he lashed a half volley from distance as Town searched for an equaliser.

Cotterill introduced youngster Tom Bloxham as the game wore on and he made a difference as Town shifted to a back four.

Pennington got his head to another corner, but could not get enough purchase on the effort to get it on target and it went just wide.

And in the last minute of time added on, Town had another opportunity to score when Leahy was found, but the ball was claimed by Jensen.

Shrews Marosi, Leahy, Pennington, Winchester (Bayliss 45), Phillips, Bowman (Bloxham 73), Bennett (Pyke 45), Dunkley, Saydee, Shipley, Flanagan

Unused subs:

Burgoyne, Barlow, Street, Craig

Jensen, Whalley, Leigh (Martin 90), McConville (Clark 58), Longelo (Woods 90), Sangare, Rodgers, Pressley, Quirk, Conneely, Fernandes,

Unused Subs: Isherwood, Nottingham, Nolan, Butler-Oyedeji,