EFL Trophy: Shrewsbury 1 Fulham 2 - Report
It was a difficult evening for Shrewsbury Town who lost their opening game of their EFL Trophy campaign 2-1 to Fulham under-21s.
Paul Hurst's side were looking to bounce back from a disappointing day on Saturday after losing to Peterborough United.
But the first half lacked quality. There was one chance for the visitors when the ball fell Aaron Loupalo-Bi at the back post, but his effort was blocked behind for a corner.
Charles Sagoe Jr was making his first start. He looked rusty in the opening exchanges, but he soon warmed to the task.
He set up George Lloyd after skinning the Fulham right-back, only for the striker to head straight at Alex Borto.
The bad news kept on coming for Shrewsbury as their captain Carl Winchester limped off midway through the first half.
That adds to their injury woes - Morgan Feeney, Josh Feeney and Jordan Rossiter are already out.
Sagoe Jr tried to cheer Town fans up before the break after taking on a number of Fulham players before unleashing a left-footed strike - but that went wide.
Town started the second half well. Aaron Pierre, Tommi O'Reilly and Sagoe Jr all went close to giving Town the lead before Toto Nsiala did.
He scored after consistent Town pressure turning it home from a corner.
Fulham almost had an immediate chance to get back into it when the visitors were awarded a penalty - Mal Benning with a clumsy challenge in the box.
But Toby Savin produced a superb save away to his right to deny Callumn Osmand.
The striker did score just a couple of minutes later though, his deflected effort looped over Savin and into the Town net.
Hurst's men thought they had the lead again when substitute Josh Kayode appeared to smuggle the ball over the line from a set piece, but the officials said the ball did not cross the line.
With just three minutes left on the clock, the visitors completed their turnaround. Second-half substitute Lemar Gordon picked up on a through ball from Joshua King, held off the challenge of Luca Hoole and finished beyond Savin.
Despite four minutes of time added on at the end of the game, Shrews were not able to come back from it.
Shrews: Savin, Hoole, Pierre, Nsiala, Benning, Winchester (Perry 40), Biggins, Bloxham, O'Reilly, Sagoe Jr (Kayode 75), Lloyd.
Subs: Young, Kayode, Perry, Bloxham, Marquis, Cairns.
Fulham: Borto, King (Tabares 90), Esenga, Donnell, Sekularac (Wroks 84), McCoy-Splatt (Nwoko 45), Gofford, Nsasi, Slade, Loupalo-Bi (Gordon 64), Osmond (McFarlane 84).
Subs: Allen, Wroks, Gordon, McFarlane, Tabares, Nwoko, Olyott.
