Shropshire Star

Fleetwood Town 2 Shrewsbury Town 2 - Report and pictures

Shrewsbury Town twice gave up the lead at Fleetwood Town as the hosts struck an 87th-minute leveller to seal a 2-2 draw on an entertaining afternoon.

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Jason Cummings came from the bench to fire into the corner in front of ecstatic travelling Town fans six minutes earlier.

But as Shrewsbury looked like managing just a second ever victory at the Highbury Stadium, substitute Josh Morris smashed in a fine strike from the edge of the area.

Shaun Whalley had sent Sam Ricketts’ men into a first-half lead as he pounced on the rebound after Callum Lang was denied.

But Joey Barton’s hosts levelled just four minutes after the break through right-back Lewie Coyle.

It was a very watchable contest with an element of spice as both sides exchanged attempts in a pulsating second half but Fleetwood were the happier with the late equaliser.

Cummings' first goal since October and fifth of the season did have similarities to Nathan Thomas' winner on the Fylde Coast two seasons ago but inflicting just a second home defeat on Fleetwood wasn't to be for Shrewsbury.

Town now turn their attention to next weekend’s mouth-watering FA Cup fourth round tie at home to European and world champions Liverpool.

Shrewsbury had to put next Sunday’s huge Cup date to one side for a return to league action.

The visitors were hunting a first win in five league outings. They started the day five places points below the Cod Army - but just three points separated the sides.

Ricketts’ squad and the travelling blue and amber army headed north west with a real buzz after the brilliant Cup success against Championship Bristol City.

But, as Cup hero and match-winner Aaron Pierre insisted, it was very much back to the bread and butter of League One points on the Fylde Coast.

The Shrewsbury boss made four changes to the side that confirmed their fourth round tie with Liverpool.

In returned Max O’Leary for Joe Murphy in goal, while Dave Edwards, Whalley and Lang started instead of Sean Goss, Ryan Giles and Daniel Udoh.

Giles was, of course, not with Shrewsbury up in Fleetwood. Instead he was part of Nuno Espirito Santo’s Premier League squad at Southampton after his recall late this week.

The news came as a massive blow to Town, with Giles putting in some thrilling displays during his Shropshire stint.

Ricketts moved quickly for a replacement, bringing in 23-year-old Sam Hart on loan for the rest of the season from Blackburn Rovers. There was a place for Hart on the bench.

Barton’s hosts were low on centre-halves, with Stoke loanee Harry Souttar the only natural centre-back. They lined up 4-4-2 with new loanee from Everton Callum Connolly a makeshift centre-half. Ched Evans partnering Shrewsbury nemesis Paddy Madden in attack.

Madden, with eight goals, has scored more than anybody else against Salop this millennium.

Fleetwood had won just once in nine games in all competitions.

The Cod Army started the better. Town defenders Ro-Shaun Williams and Ethan Ebanks-Landell conceded a couple of corners and, from the latter, Evans volleyed wide totally unmarked from a Paul Coutts’ delivery.

Town began combining well, particularly between Whalley and Lang, who started up front together. They were denied a free-kick in a good position as Connolly got physical on Lang - an early pattern.

Pierre sent a 30 yard rocket well over, sparking memories of his Tuesday night arrow into the bottom corner beyond Bristol City’s Daniel Bentley.

The travelling Shrewsbury fans were not shy in encouraging Pierre to shoot from distance.

Another clear chance came the way of Fleetwood No.9 Evans. O’Leary could not fully clear with a punch and Danny Andrew’s header picked out the striker who swivelled to send a crisp first-time volley at goal, drawing a sharp low save from the keeper’s legs.

A tight, even contest broke out, Town’s front three of Edwards, Whalley and Lang buzzed around trying to cause problems, but both sides were guilty of sloppy bits of possession.

The hosts enjoyed more shots on target. Left-back Andrew curled a free-kick a few feet wide of the near post.

Barton’s men were trying to play short, one-touch football, at times they got through Shrewsbury but were let down by a wayward final pass.

Fleetwood were in the ascendancy on half hour and right winger Wes Burns went closest yet to opening the scoring.

Burns might have done better after latching on to a neat move started by Kyle Dempsey but could only send the ball a fraction wide of O’Leary’s top left corner.

Out of nowhere Whalley had Alex Cairns’ crossbar shaking.

Scott Golbourne found some room down his left flank and a well weighted touch allowed Whalley to guide a well-struck 22-yard effort on to the woodwork and over.

It was by a long way the closest Town had gone to troubling the home goal.

Then, seven minutes before the break, Whalley made no mistake.

It was a goal littered in Fleetwood sloppiness but Shrewsbury deserved credit for capitalising.

Loose touches in defence were pounced upon by Edwards, whose block fell into the path of Lang with the striker bearing down on Cairns’ goal from a right angle.

Lang’s low finish was well stopped by the legs of the home goalkeeper but dropped into the six yard box and there was Whalley to pounce quickest and nudge in. It was sharp play from Town’s No.7.

Ricketts’ men made hard work of staying ahead before the break.

Ebanks-Landell, seconds after recovering from a head injury, made a superb block to deny Evans from a Madden cut-back, before Evans beat O’Leary to a lofted ball with the keeper in no man’s land, only for his header to drop inches wide.

Barton sent Fleetwood out long before their visitors. Town emerged from half-time with a change as Omar Beckles replaced Golbourne, taking the left wing-back role.

Whatever the home boss said to his charges at the interval worked wonders because, just four minutes later, the hosts were level.

It was a delightfully worked goal from Fleetwood as Coyle flew down the right and read a sumptuous Evans dragback before finishing well across O’Leary.

Fleetwood’s tails were up and Madden sent a volley at O’Leary after connecting to Evans’ header seconds later.

Lang almost provided a moment of brilliance for the visitors as, without looking at the goal, he dug out a chip from 30 yards with Cairns off his line.

The keeper was beaten but the effort flew a yard or two wide.

The majority of Highbury Stadium was left furious as referee Christopher Sarginson awarded a goal kick after O’Leary had made a fine flying save to tip Madden’s delightful out-of-the-boot strike from distance.

There was an undercurrent of tension around the action as the hour mark came and went. Norburn was booked for a firm tackle just seconds after Lang had been penalised for going in strongly.

Ricketts sent Udoh on for a struggling Edwards and, at the midway point of the second period, Jason Cummings replaced the tireless Lang - who was frustrated not to remain on after another fine display.

Fleetwood saw more of the ball as the game entered the final 10 minutes.

The final quarter had the feeling of a Cup tie, as both sides exchanged periods of possession in each other’s final third without forcing clear opportunities - but it felt as though the points were there to be taken.

Fleetwood were the better side between the 70 and 80th minute but could not stretch Shrewsbury.

And instead, when Ricketts’ side found some momentum, they looked threatening.

Cummings had just been unable to get a strike away from Laurent’s clever cut-back from the right but Town kept coming.

And they were rewarded for persistence and patience around the edge of the Fleetwood box as Whalley picked out a lovely ball into the box where Cummings was running in on goal.

The striker was out on his weaker right foot but it mattered little. He took his time and a coupe of touches before thrashing an accurate low finish and into the bottom left corner across Cairns.

Town fans in the stand behind the goal went ballistic in celebration.

But the job wasn’t complete and the visitors were unable to see out the victory as the extra two points fell by the wayside.

More super play down the right flank from Barton’s men and substitute Morris hovered around the edge of the box, ready to thrash home a superb strike that zipped through the air and flew in beyond O’Leary with three minutes of normal time remaining.

There was still time for the ball to bounce around both penalty areas but neither side could apply a finishing touch on what had been an entertaining afternoon.

Teams

Fleetwood Town (3-5-2):

Cairns; Coyle, Souttar, Andrew; Burns, Coutts ©, Connolly, Dempsey, Sowerby (Morris, 76); Evans, Madden.

Subs not used: Gilks (gk), Eastham, McAleny, Biggins, Saunders, Hill.

Shrewsbury Town (3-4-3):

O’Leary; Williams, Ebanks-Landell, Pierre; Love, Norburn ©, Laurent, Golbourne (Beckles, 45); Whalley, Lang (Cummings, 68), Edwards (Udoh, 61).

Subs not used: Murphy (gk), Beckles, Walker, Goss, Hart.

Referee: Christopher Sarginson