Shrewsbury Town 0 Portsmouth 3 - Report
Shrewsbury Town were comfortably beaten by in-form Portsmouth on a disappointing afternoon at the Croud Meadow.
A brace from Abu Kamara either side of Marlon Pack's finish from close range was enough for John Mousinho's side to take all three points.
After a solid opening 45 minutes, Salop were unfortunate to go behind in stoppage time at the end of the first half.
They did not deal with a Marlon Pack long throw, and Abu Kamara was on hand at the back post to smash it home.
That lead was doubled just after the hour mark when Pack this time scored from close range after great work from Paddy Lane to get to the byline.
And a third was added with six minutes of normal time still remaining as the tricky Kamara got on the end of Christian Saydee's through ball.
Town struggled to create anything clear-cut against a good side, and with their lack of goals it looked a long way back and their three-game winning streak at home came to an end.
ANALYSIS
Town welcomed the league leaders to the Meadow who were in good form after a win against Bolton on Monday night.
Matt Taylor was forced into one change as Elliott Bennett was ruled before kick-off with a hip injury - he is only expected to be out for seven to 10 days.
The game followed a similar pattern to the clash at Adams Park seven days ago. Town were prepared to sit deep and defend in numbers and ask the visitors to break them down.
Ryan Bowman went close in the opening exchanges when Chey Dunkley played him in. The forward probably should have done better with his effort as it trickled into the arms of Will Norris.
The game lacked clear-cut chances, as has been the way with Town often this season, but Portsmouth should have led just before the half-hour mark.
Paddy Lane pulled it back to Kusini Yengi and from eight yards out, he smashed it over the bar.
The forward had scored their second in the win against Bolton but he was unable to finish on this occasion.
On the stroke of half-time Salop trailed. A long throw coming into the box from Marlon Pack was allowed to bounce by Town, and then Kamara was alive to the opportunity at the back post firing into the roof of the net.
It was the last kick of the half and was a bitter pill for Shrewsbury to swallow.
Town made a change at the break with Max Mata coming into the action for Bowman, but it did not change the direction of travel.
Kamara continued to cause Town problems and after great skill to get away from Joe Anderson and Aaron Pierre his cross evaded everybody and Salop could clear.
The second did come though, just past the hour mark, captain Pack turned home from close range after great work from Paddy Lane on the left.
Taylor went to his bench and introduced Tunmise Sobowale and Mal Benning who made an impact.
It was Benning's cross that enabled Mata to shoot after a smart first touch gave him half a yard of space.
His effort was off target, and that was the same for Udoh when he raced through on goal only to see his erratic left-foot effort fly into the stands, he did have a really narrow angle to navigate.
To make matters worse for Town Kamara, who had been terrific all afternoon, got his second of the game. He got in down the Town left, and he fired high into the roof of the Salop net.
Teams
Marosi, Dunkley, Pierre, Anderson, Winchester (Benning 69), Kenneh, Feeney (Sobowale 69), Perry, Udoh, Bowman (Mata 45). #Salop
Subs: Burgoyne, Benning, Sobowale, Owusu, Loughran, Mata, Whitney. #Salop
Portsmouth: Norris, Pack, Robertson, Morrell (Saydee 76), Rafferty, Shaughnessy, Yengi (Bishop 71), Raggett, Sparkes, Kamara (Whyte 88), Lane (Devlin 88).
Subs: Schofield, Swanson, Towler, Bishop, Whyte, Saydee, Devlin.
