Shrewsbury Town fell to a 3-0 defeat at home to Fleetwood on New Year’s Day.

Salop’s best chance of the game came in the opening phases when Jordan Shipley flicked on a long ball forward from Marko Marosi's goal kick.  

Christian Saydee cushioned the ball with his body and then backheeled it to Shipley who played a lofted cross into the box but the Fleetwood defence did well to remove the ball from danger.  

The away side grabbed their first goal in controversial circumstances after Matt Pennington was judged to have deliberately handled the ball in the box.  

The centre-back received a red card and subsequently, The Cod Army got a penalty which Admiral Muskwe took and converted from the spot in the 25^th minute.  

Promise Omochere made it two for Fleetwood in the 28^th minute as he converted from close range.  

Late into the game, The Cod Army got their final goal when Josh Vela produced a strike from the edge of the box which took a deflection from Chey Dunkley and in.  

Steve Cotterill opted for a 3-4-1-2 formation at Montgomery Waters Meadow for what was Shrewsbury's second home game in three days.  

Skipper Luke Leahy returned to the starting line-up after he won his appeal for wrongful dismal in the Cheltenham game on Thursday night.  

Up front, Rob Street and Christian Saydee continued their partnership with Tom Bayliss in the number 10 role.  

Fleetwood lined up in a 4-3-3 system, with Admiral Muskwe leading the line. Cian Hayes was on the left flank and Promise Omochere was on the right.  

Before the match, the whole stadium stood for a minute's applause in memory of the Town fans we lost in 2022 and for Brazilian icon Pele who died on Thursday.

It was Town who created the first chance of the game when Jordan Shipley flicked on a long kick from Marko Marosi. 

Saydee then used his body really well to hold off a defender before producing a clever back-heel which allowed Shipley to hit the byline. He then sent in a dangerous cross which a Fleetwood defender did well to turn behind for a corner. 

Just before the 20-minute mark, Shrewsbury’s injury woes continued with Tom Flanagan having to be replaced by Elliott Bennett due to a knock.  

Bennett moved to right wing-back, and Moore who was operating in that position, switched to the left side of the back three.  

Referee Ross Joyce awarded Fleetwood a penalty in controversial circumstances the 22^nd minute after Matt Pennington blocked a shot from point-blank range with his arm. 

The defender had no time to get out of the way of the ball. But the referee still opted to award and spot-kick and send him off – with Muskwe then converting the penalty. 

The away side made it two just six minutes later when, following a scramble from a Shaun Rooney throw, Omochere fired in from close range.  

Just after the interval, Shrewsbury had an opportunity to pull one back with Moore producing a fine cross that reached Street in the box, but the young striker headed over.  

The away side came close to a third in the 70^th minute as Danny Andrews drilled a low powerful shot that ricocheted off the post.  

With just under 15 minutes remaining, Saydee made a magnificent run down the line which concluded with a cross into the box which Bennett was there to meet but his header went wide.  

Despite having 10-men, Shrewsbury had dominated the ball for almost all of the second half.

But the visitors grabbed a third in the 89^th minute through Vela’s long-range strike which took a deflection off Dunkley and in, thus condemning Salop to defeat. 

Teams     

Salop XI:      

Marosi (GK), Leahy (C), Pennington, Moore, Winchester, Street (Pyke, 70), Bayliss (Bloxham, 53), Dunkley, Saydee, Shipley, Flanagan (Bennett, 18) 

Unused subs:     

Burgoyne (GK), Barlow, Bailey, O’Brien 

Fleetwood XI:   

Lynch (GK), Andrew, Sarpong-Wiredu, Vela (C), Muskwe, Warrington, Omochere (Mendes-Gomes, 84), Hayes (Morton, 66), Nsiala, Rooney (Johnston, 58), Earl 

Unused subs:   

Stolarczyk, J. Garner, G. Garner, Batty 

Bookings:  

Yellow: Leahy, Sarpong-Wiredu  

Red: Pennington 

Attendance: 5,685 

Away: 159