EFL Trophy: Shrewsbury 0 Brighton U21s 0 (4-1 pens) - Report
It was another deflating evening for Shrewsbury fans as they watched their side fail to beat Brighton under-21s in normal time in the EFL Trophy.
Salop have struggled for goals in all competitions this season and that worrying trend continued on a wet September evening in Shropshire.
Matt Taylor's side were well below par for the first 70 minutes of the clash not registering a shot on target in the first half despite picking a side of first-team regulars.
The game finished 0-0 with Marko Marosi producing a number of important saves to keep Town in the match.
The boss did make changes with 20 minutes to go including a formation switch and Shrews picked up and could have snatched it at the end.
You would expect more from a League One side playing against inexperienced Premier League players - and to compound that they have now not scored since Dan Udoh's solo effort at the end of August.
They did win 4-1 on penalties which gave them an extra point in the overall standings.
ANALYSIS
It had been a challenging few weeks for Shrewsbury Town boss Matt Taylor with results not going his side's way.
The boss picked an incredibly strong team for the visit of Brighton, which with another game around the corner at the weekend, suggested he was in desperate need of a morale-boosting win.
He gave loan signing Kieran Phillips his first start since his arrival earlier on a season-long loan from Huddersfield - partnering Max Mata up front.
Sadly the first half was very much a case of the same old story.
There were a few bright moments early on, where Morgan Feeney headed over after Tom Flanagan flicked on a set piece. Phillips had a shot from just inside the box but that was deflected behind.
Brighton under-21s are clearly gifted footballers, but you would have expected a Shrewsbury team boasting so many senior first-team players to put in a better first-half showing.
They were careless on the ball without registering a single shot on target in the first 45 minutes.
And as the first half of wore on the visitors grew into it more. Flanagan who was back playing on the left of the back three had a moment of madness.
He attempted to pass the ball back to Marosi without looking and the keeper had to race back and clear it off the line.
It was one of those moments where the crowd were stunned into silence as they could barely believe what they had witnessed.
Marosi had to be alert again when he produced a stunning save to deny Mark O'Mahony from point-blank range after the ball fell to him in the box.
It was a half of football that did little to lift the spirits of the Shrewsbury Town fans who were already feeling pretty flat after recent results.
But the break and a chance to regroup did not change the direction of travel as the young Seagulls continued to look the more likely.
O'Mahony went through on goal but Marosi was again there to deny him, another great chance.
Moments later they had an even better opportunity when Benicio Baker-Boaitey missed a free header at the back post - Mal Benning the man to let him drift into space.
Salop's first clear-cut chance of the evening came in the 70th minute - great work from Kieran Phillips to win the ball back in the Brighton box.
He played it back to Bayliss but McGill was in the right place to produce a superb stop.
Taylor switched it up with the introduction of Ryan Bowman and Dan Udoh as well as a change of system which saw Bennett play on the right side of midfield with four at the back.
Bowman hit the post within moments of coming onto the pitch with an ambitious effort from outside the box as Town put pressure on for the first time in the game.
The game looked destined for penalties when Udoh went through on goal, but McGill was equal to his effort.
Although it was on Udoh's left foot you would have backed him to find the net - and despite four minutes added on neither team found a winner.
Shrews took an extra point home after winning on penalties. Bayliss, Bowman, Bennett and Anderson all kept their nerve from the spot to give Town a 4-1 victory and an extra point.
Shrews: Marosi, Feeney, Dunkley, Flanagan, Benning (Fleming 58), Bennett, Kenneh (Anderson 90), Finnigan, Bayliss, Mata (Udoh 70), Phillips (Bowman 70).
Subs: Burgoyne, Anderson, Sraha, Fleming, Udoh, Bowman, Sobowale.
Brighton: McGill, Hinshelwood (Baker-Boaitey 45), Samuels, Hinchy, Chouchane, Nilsson, Kavanagh, Barrington, Mullins (Flower 32), O'Mahony, McConville.
Subs: Cahill, Baker-Boaitey, Jackson, Duffus, Slater, Peart, Flower.
