Shrewsbury 2 Bristol Rovers 1 - Report
Shrewsbury Town got their first league win since March with a hard-fought victory over Bristol Rovers at the Meadow.
A goal in each half was enough for Steve Cotterill's men to get back to winning way after difficult period of injuries and results.
Luke Leahy celebrated his 100th Salop appearance with a goal in the third minute of the clash - heading home Elliott Bennett's loopy corner.
It was Leahy's 12th of the season - a career-best - achieved against one of his former clubs.
Town started brightly and were tenacious, being first to second balls spurred on by their early advantage.
As the half wore on the visitors grew into it without creating anything clear-cut in the first 45 minutes. Ryan Loft went close, and they did see a few dangerous efforts blocked by Town defenders.
Rob Street doubled the lead after the break with a superb individual goal driving at the Rovers defence before calmly finishing into the bottom corner.
Joey Barton went to his bench to introduce fresh legs - a luxury Town with their five substitutions and little experience did not have.
And they got one back when Josh Coburn scored. Scott Sinclair had dinked in a cross, it hit the bar and Coburn nodded it home.
Moments later the visitors should have led but Marko Marosi made a goal-saving stop from point-blank range to stop a certain leveller and Salop held on for three points.
ANALYSIS
Shrewsbury Town took on Bristol Rovers at Montgomery Waters Meadow in search of their first win in eight games in their final home game of the season.
But all the talk before the game was about off-field matters as prior to kick-off the club announced chief executive Brian Caldwell had left Town with immediate effect after more than seven years in Shropshire.
The announcement was odd timing given what little time of the League One season remains.
On the pitch, Cotterill made one change to the side that fell to a 3-0 defeat against Sheffield Wednesday at the weekend - Ryan Bowman came into the team in place of Christian Saydee - who was out through injury.
Bowman scored in the reverse fixture when the teams met back in August at The Memorial Stadium.
After a good performance at the weekend against The Owls that ultimately ended in defeat, Shrews needed to start brightly.
And they did just that taking the lead in the third minute when skipper Leahy rose the highest from Elliott Bennett's deep corner to power a header beyond Ellery Balcombe.
The midfielder has been excellent for Shrews this season - starting every League One game - and it was a great way for the 30-year-old to celebrate his 100th appearance for Salop.
Town looked up for it in the opening exchanges and were worthy of their early lead.
Rovers did grow into the half though, at times they passed it around nicely. They worked a half chance for Ryan Loft who headed harmlessly over and saw a free-kick from just outside the penalty area cannon into the Town wall after Chey Dunkley had committed a foul picking up a yellow card.
It was Bristol Rovers who looked the more likely in the lead-up to the interval without creating any big opportunities to score.
It followed a similar pattern after the break until Street scored an excellent second for Town.
The Crystal Palace loanee, who has improved so much during his time in Shropshire, picked up the ball drove at the defender and beat him for pace before slotting past Balcombe to double the lead.
It was an excellent goal which forced Joey Barton to make five subs, one of which was League One player of the season, Aaron Collins.
It worked. As they got back into the game in the 70th minute. Sinclair's cross lobbed onto the bar and it fell right to Coburn who could not miss from yards out.
Coburn was denied his second of the game seconds later when Marosi made himself big to block his strike after a break left Town exposed.
The visitors came at Town in the closing stages forcing Salop to defend for their lives but they held on.
At the end of the game, the Town players did a lap around the ground with manager Cotterill to applaud the fans and thank them for their support at the Meadow throughout the campaign.
Teams
Salop: Marosi, Leahy (C), Moore, Winchester, Phillips, Bowman, Street (Pyke 78), Bennett, Dunkley, Shipley, Flanagan
Subs: Burgoyne (GK), Pyke, Bloxham, Craig, Barlow
Bristol Rovers: Balcombe, Gordon (Macdonald 56), Quansah, Finley, Ward, Marquis (Evans 56), Gibson, Loft (Collins 57), Bogarde (Sinclair 56), Gibbons (Hoole 56), Coburn
Subs: Ward (GK), Connolly, Sinclair, Collins, MacDonald, Evans, Hoole.
