Ipswich 2 Shrewsbury 0 - Report
A depleted Shrewsbury Town fell to a battling defeat at Portman Road against promotion hopefuls Ipswich.
A goal in each half was enough for The Tractors Boys to take the points in Suffolk in front of more than 25,000 fans.
Steve Cotterill's side worked hard but the hosts were just too much for them on the day.
Salop went close to opening the scoring in the opening stages when a powerful Luke Leahy header was saved, but the hosts then responded by netting with their first clear-cut opportunity of the game.
George Hirst the man getting on the end of Wes Burns' cross and nodding beyond Marko Marosi.
The clash, perhaps as expected, saw The Tractor Boys have the majority of the ball, without pulling Salop apart in a fairly quiet first half - only having a few half chances.
Town did go close on half-time when Shipley saw an effort saved Walton, who, in truth, was the busier of the two keepers in the first half.
But Salop's chances of a comeback were dashed within moments of the resumption when Massimo Luongo doubled their lead with a goal which had a slight element of good fortune to it after a brilliant Tom Flanagan block landed at his feet to tap home.
The hosts hit the post as they searched for a third with Leicester loanee Hirst catching the eye.
Chey Dunkley got his head on a corner and it cannoned into the crossbar as Town searched for a way back into the game but despite a valiant effort and no lack of trying, they were not able to.
ANALYSIS
Shrewsbury were rocked before kick-off when they were dealt with the news midfielder Tom Bayliss had been ruled out for the rest of the season with ankle ligament damage.
The 23-year-old had made a big impression since arriving in Shropshire last summer after leaving Preston North End - but the injury he picked up in the win against Morecambe was bad enough to rule him out for the remaining 10 matches.
It meant Steve Cotterill was forced to make one change from last weekend's victory - Elliott Bennett coming in to replace the injured man.
The boss also changed formation for the second time in three matches - using a 4-3-3 with Taylor Moore playing at left-back, Rekeil Pyke played on the left wing and Jordan Shipley on the right.
Rob Street continued up front after his goal against the Shrimps, Christian Saydee was fit enough to make then bench after overcoming a hamstring problem which kept him out of last weekend's game.
Town started the game brightly and almost led inside the first five minutes when Leahy headed straight at Christian Walton from a brilliant Matthew Pennington cross.
But the hosts settled and they netted the first goal in the clash when Burns got the better of Moore of Town's left, he crossed for Hirst, who headed the ball across Marko Marosi and into the Salop net.
The goal prompted a change in formation from Cotterill with Moore coming to right wing-back and Shipley dropping back into the back five.
Town did settle after the goal, and they saw a little more possession, but the hosts still looked the more likely.
Luongo went close with another header for The Tractor Boys when he arrived late to get on the end of Burns' cross, but it went wide.
Just before the 40-minute mark Town saw another effort saved by Walton, this time Shipley the man with the shot, after good play from Pennington.
Despite Ipswich dominating the ball they only led by a goal at the break.
Ipswich doubled their lead in the 50th minute when Tom Flanagan's brilliant block from a Conor Chaplin shot went straight to Luongo and he volleyed the ball home.
They almost added a third when Hirst rattled the post when he turned and shot on the edge of the box.
Cotterill went to his bench in the 60th minute bringing on Tom Bloxham and Saydee.
Town had been a threat from dead balls all season and that is where their best chance of the game came from, Dunkley the man to head Leahy's corner off the crossbar and that was the last chance of note in the clash as the hosts managed it well.
Salop: (4-3-3): Marosi, Dunkley, Pennington, Flanagan, Moore, Winchester, Leahy, Bennett (Bowman 73), Shipley, Pyke (Bloxham 60), Street (Saydee 60).
Unused subs: Burgoyne, Barlow, Craig.
Ipswich XI: Walton, Davis, Morsy, Woolfenden, Burns (Jackson 86), Chaplin (Ball 90), Burgess, Luongo (Vincent-Young 90), Hirst (Ladapo 73), Broadhead (Harness 73), Clarke
Unused subs:
Hladky, Edwards
Attendance: 26,432 (343)
