Scrappy performance from Town but a hard earnt win

Shrewsbury Town vs Southend United – Match Report – Tom Robinshaw.

Town stay top after earning yet another win against Southend United.

Team Line-ups:

Shrewsbury Town:

Dean Henderson, Joe Riley, Ben Godfrey, Mat Sadler, Shaun Whalley, Abu Ogogo (c), Junior Brown, Jon Nolan (Louis Dodds 81), Aristote Nsiala, Alex Rodman, Stefan Payne (Lenell John-Lewis 44).

Substitutes: Craig MacGillivray, Omar Beckles, Carlton Morris, Arthur Gnahoua, Lenell John-Lewis, Ebou Adams.

Southend United:

Mark Oxley, Anton Ferdinand (c), Michael Timlin, Marc-Antoine Fortune, Stephen McLaughlin, Dru Yearwood, Jermaine McGlashan, Ryan Leonard, Jason Demetriou, Harry Kyprianou, Elvis Bwomono.

Substitutes: Stephen Hendrie, Simon Cox, Amadou Ba, Jack Bridge, Michael Klass, Ted Smith, Theo Robinson.

Referee: Ross Joyce.

Assistants: Matthew Jones and Matthew Parry.

Fourth Official: Anthony Tankard.

Attendance: 5029 (Southend 172)

Town remain top of Sky Bet League 1 after a rainy Tuesday night at the Montgomery Waters Meadow. A chipped first half goal from Nolan was enough to get town all three points and keep them at the top of the table.

Kick-off:

Town started on the front foot. Forcing the error early on Whalley broke down the right before being clipped on the right-hand side of the box. Whalley stepped up to whip in a dangerous ball towards Payne whose header was saved.

Southend’s Ryan Leonard then made a smart run into the box finding the space to pull the trigger, as he did he slipped and Town cleared.

Into the sixth minute, Payne picked up the ball in his own half before making a powerful run down the right. He had Nolan sprinting into the box for the squared pass but chose to go alone. Payne’s right footed shot from the right side of the box rattled the left post before being cleared away from danger.

A quick short corner from McLaughlin to Kyprianou gave Southend some space on the left side of the box. McLaughlin continued his run before firing a ball across the face of goal, Henderson was aware and got a hand to it to clear the danger.

Town broke on the counter down the left in the 14^th minute through Nolan. He found rodman who drove forward before cutting onto his right to hit a low shot towards the bottom left. Oxley got down well to save, holding onto the ball in the process.

Town took the lead in the 26^th minute. Stephan Payne did well to drive forwards through the middle before slowing down and slipping a perfectly timed ball to his left finding Nolan in the box with the space to shoot. Nolan kept his cool dinking the ball over Oxley to give town the lead.

After the goal, Southend picked up a free kick from a shooting position. Jason Demetriou stepped up to take the kick, firing a swerving strike towards the top corner, missing the target by a fraction.

On the 30^th minute mark Whalley picked up the ball on the right before twisting and turning to beat his man. Working the space, Whaley whipped in a dangerous ball towards Payne but Southend headed behind.

Town then looked to work it down the left. Nolan broke forward before holding up for Whalley to overlap. Whalley’s pace sprung him past the defense but his touch was heavy and the ball went behind for a goal kick.

Southend looked to counter down the left before playing a cross towards the penalty spot. Sadler did well to cut out the ball putting it behind for a corner.

Substitution for Town: Stephan Payne came off in the 44^th minute, replace by Lenell John-Lewis.

Before the end of the first half Southend mounted a couple of chances. Yearwood cut inside before hitting a low shot towards goal. Henderson was equal to it tipping it wide of the post for a corner.

Half time: Shrewsbury Town 1 Southend United 0

Town pressed early in the second half with Whalley winning the ball up field. He did well to find Nolan with space in the box. Nolan took a touch before shooting but the defender did well to get his body between the player and ball to clear.

Working down the right again Whalley found Riley on the overlap. Riley put his foot through it to play a fast-paced low cross towards John-Lewis who miss-kicked the ball, seeing it go for a goal kick.

Shortly after, Southend hit on the counter through Jermaine McGlashan down the right. He whipped in a good ball towards the penalty spot. Henderson did well to get across his goal to his right and hold onto the ball from a strong header.

Working the ball from left to right, Southend found Elvis Bwomono with space to cross from deep. He curled it towards Ryan Leonard who’d got up well to meet the ball, heading just wide of the right-hand post.

Town sprung on the attack finding Nolan on the right. He cut to make a skillful run along the edge of the box before trying his luck. His left footed shot was straight down the throat of Mark Oxley who saved on the second attempt.

Junior Brown picked up a yellow in the 57^th for a foul in Towns Half. The resulting free kick was met by a commanding Nsiala who headed clear.

Southend were presented with the opportunity to equalizer in the 62^nd. A sloppy back pass from Godfrey saw Timlin go through on goal. The attacker dawdled on the ball before Nsiala did well to track back and win the tackle before clearing the danger.

Substitution for Southend: Jermaine McGlashan made way for Theo Robinson in the 69^th.

John-Lewis was next to create an opportunity. He popped up out of nowhere on the edge of the box to turn and let off a powerful shot, only to be saved by Oxley.

A powerful forward run by Godfrey pressured Southend into making a rash challenge 25 yards from goal. Joe Riley stepped up to take the free kick, as visions of his winner at the Ricoh sprung to mind. Riley struck the ball well but it was too high and sailed over the bar.

Substitution for Southend: Simon Cox came on for Dru Yearwood in the 80^th minute.

Southend pushed for an equalizer and after the change Kyprianou played in a dangerous free kick. Cox got on the end of it whose shot looked certain to find the back of the net, only for Henderson to pull off a spectacular save.

Substitution for Town: Jon Nolan was replaced by Louis Dodds in the 82^nd minute.

Dodds looked to have an impact straight away driving down the right before holding up the ball by the corner flag.

Substitution for Southend: Jack Bridge replaced Michael Timlin in the 84^th.

Southend still pressing for an equalizer, Theo Robinson nearly found the back of the net from a tight angle, he could only find the side netting. Shortly after Cox rashly won the ball of Riley on the right side of the box. Hurst was screaming for a free kick but it didn’t come. Cox twisted and turned in the box before seeing his squared ball cleared.

Winging the ball in the middle in the last minutes, Whalley looked to play Dodds down the right flank. His ball was collected and passed to Oxley to clear but the keeper could only find Whalley again in the center. Whalley controlled well before driving forward and taking the ball to the corner flag to waste time, winning his side a corner.

Full Time: Shrewsbury Town 1 Southend United 0