ShrewsTRUST Man of the Match

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Town: David Button, Dean Holden, Joe Skarz, Graham Coughlan (c), Terry Dunfield, Kelvin Langmead, David Hibbert, Jamie Cureton, Steve Leslie (Jake Robinson 68), Lewis Neal, Kevin McIntyre

Subs: Kris Bright, Paul Murray, Benjamin Van Den Broek, Harry Hooman, Jake Simpson, Chris Neal

Goal: Dunfield

AFC Bournemouth: Shwan Jalal, Ryan Garry, Marvin Bartley, Anton Robinson, Brett Pitman, Alan Connell, Rhoys Wiggins, Josh McQuoid, Lee Bradbury, Warren Cummings, Steve Fletcher (c) (Jeff Goulding 76)

Subs: Jayden Stockley, Dan Thomas, Jason Tindall

Referee: David Webb (County Durham)
Assistant Referee (yellow): P Bankes
Assistant Referee (plain): M Weaver
Fourth Official: D Gratton

Attendance: 6061 (272)

Town manager Paul Simpson makes two changes for the squad that drew with Rotherham on Monday night, in comes Dean Holden to replace the suspended Shane Cansdell-Sherriff and Lewis Neal starts while Paul Murray drops to the bench.

Both sides had good chances in the opening exchanges, the first fell to Town after Cureton did well to chase down a back pass, Jalal came but Cureton managed to turn and get a shot in but it was blocked by the last man.Then moments later a speculative ball over the top found Pitman in between Langmead and Coughlan, he stabbed out a foot and connected but it went just wide of the target.

Town had weathered some early Bournemouth pressure and were now starting to push for the advantage.Jamie Cureton showed good skill and determination to drift in behind the visitors defence and win a corner.From this corner the ball came back out to Leslie on the left, he drilled in an excellent cross to the back post to win another corner.This time it was Lewis Neal who curled it in left footed from the right hand side and Jalal had to be alert to stop the ball curling in at the near post.

Bournemouth had a couple of good sights of the Town with Pitman putting the ball just wide of the target on two occasions, and on the third after receiving a great ball at the back post he blazed his shot well over the target.At the other end Town were huffing and puffing but not really clicking around the opposition box.

Town had the best chance to take the lead after a really nice sweeping move just before half-time.The home side broke down the left with the ball coming in to McIntyre, he cut inside an then played the ball into Cureton who had his back to goal,. he flicked a lovely ball over the Cherries defence to find Lewis Neal in behind the defence, he took a touch to take the ball down and then drove in a shot but Jalal was alert and pulled off a smart save.

Half-time: 0-0

Town got of to the best start possible in the second half by grabbing the lead with just 3 minutes on the clock.Dave Hibbert showed good strength to hold up the ball and then stab it into Jamie Cureton who was in the box, he rode a couple of challenges looking for a sight on goal but the Cherries defence manage to get the ball clear but only as Terry Dunfield who drove the ball home from just inside the box to make it 1-0.

There was another injury scare for Town minutes later after Dave Hibbert had done well in the Cherries box, he brought the ball down well and held off his markers, there was a big shout for penalty as the ball seemed to strike a Bournemouth hand but Hibbert then fell awkwardly under the challenge of Garry.Hibbo stayed down and looked to be in pain, there was concern from physio Nathan Ring and the Doc but in the end Hibbo signalled he was ok to continue just as Kris Bright was about to come on.

With just under 20 minutes on the clock Bournemouth's Connell looked to find space around the Town box, he pushed the ball past Holden who caught him. The ref blew up for a foul just outside the Town box and saw the challenge enough to show Deano a yellow card, which pushes him onto 10 yellows and a probable two match ban.

Town were creating a number of chances with both Hibbert and Cureton doing everything but scoring. The two were striking up a good partnership with Cureton in particular seeing a lot of the ball in the Bournemouth box.He was showing touches and glimpses of what an exciting player he is and was giving the Cherries defence a torrid time.

Somehow it was staying only 1-0 to Town as the Cherries goal was living a charmed life at times.Lewis Neal curled in an inviting free-kick that was headed across the goal to find Cureton, he hit a superb first time volley that was only matched by the find reaction save from Jalal.

Bournemouth were still managing somehow to keep the score down to 1-0 as Town pilled on the pressure. Town seemed to be camped around the Cherries box and everyone was trying their best to get the ball into the net.Jake Robinson had come on as a sub and was causing problems, he drove in a great shot that beat Jalal but came back off the post, the ball then came to Lewis Neal who drove in a low shot that also beat Jalal but there was a Cherries player on the line to clear.Moments later the woodwork was there again to save the visitors, a great break down the right by Robinson saw lots of space for Town to break into, he rolled the ball cross field into the run or Lewis Neal, he hit a great shot but once again the post was there to save Bournemouth.

Full-time: 1-0