Town 1 Peterborough United 1
Town: Jayson Leutwiler, Joe Riley, Ryan McGivern, Ian Black, Shaun Whalley (Louis Dodds 71), Junior Brown, Jack Grimmer, Antoni Sarcevic (Moha Choulay 80), Gary Deegan, AJ Leitch-Smith (Andy Mangan 74), Adam El-Abd ©Unused Subs: Mark Halstead, Olly Lancashire, Jim O’Brien, Sylvan Ebanks-Blake
Goals: Ian Black 55
Bookings: Ryan McGivern, Ian Black
Peterborough United: Luke McGhee, Michael Smith, Andrew Hughes, Michael Bostwick, Ryan Tafazolli, Gwion Edwards, Chris Forrester, Paul Taylor, Marcus Maddison, Tom Nichols (Deon Moore 74), George Moncur (Hayden White 63)
Unused Subs: Mark Tyler, Jack Baldwin, Leonardo Da Silva Lopez, Callum Chettle, Nathan Oduwa,
Goals: Gwion Edwards 32,
Bookings: Ryan Tafazolli (Straight Red)
Referee: Darren Handley
Assistants: Joe Clark and Danny Gratton
Fourth Official: Christopher Husband
Attendance: 4314 (203)
Shrewsbury Town were unlucky not to get all three points as a missed penalty costs Town after they come from behind to get a draw against Peterborough.
Team News:
Manager Micky Mellon makes two changes to the side which drew 1-1 with AFC Wimbledon on Saturday. The suspended Ivan Toney is replaced by Shaun Whalley, whilst Gary Deegan returns from his suspension to replace Jim O’Brien.
First Half:
Peterborough, playing in fluorescent yellow, started as brightly as their shirts and former Exeter man Tom Nicholls headed over from 8 yards out within the opening two minutes.
Town began to dominate the ball in the opening 10 minutes with Shaun Whalley at the centre of it as he linked well with Town’s wingbacks, but they failed to create a clear cut chance.
The closest Town came in the opening 15 minutes as when Shaun Whalley’s free-kick was headed as far as Ian Black who played in a dangerous ball which caused problems in the Peterborough area, but AJ Leitch-Smith could only strike thin air with his attempted volley and the danger was cleared.
Town continued to dominate and had a good opportunity when Joe Riley dispossessed Peterborough defender Ryan Tafazolli and played in Antoni Sarcevic, but his left footed shot was tame and was easily saved by Luke McGhee.
Shaun Whalley continued to be at the heart of Town’s best work as Peterborough failed to get to grips with the Town number 10 and he almost opened the scoring on 23 minutes when his rasping 25 yard strike was palmed over the top by McGhee.
Peterborough finally began to see more of the ball and Paul Taylor nearly struck for The Post after Jack Grimmer lost the ball on the Town right and Marcus Maddison played a ball across for Taylor whose effort was blocked by Gary Deegan.
It was Peterborough who would go ahead on 32 minutes. Ryan McGivern was booked when he gave away a professional foul as Peterborough countered and the resulting free-kick by Marcus Maddison came off a Town head and was turned home by Gwion Edwards.
Maddison became more involved and came within a whisker of doubling the lead when his 20 yard shot went just wide of Jayson Leutwiler’s right hand post.
Town continued to pass the ball around well and Whalley again tried his luck from range, but McGhee was again up to the task and pushed it behind for a corner.
The resulting corner saw Peterborough break quickly and Jayson Leutwiler was forced to make a good save down to his right after Maddison cut in from the right and unleashed a left footed drive.
The resulting corner saw the Swiss ‘keeper again called into action and then he had his post to thank when Maddison again shot with his left foot from distance but it hit the woodwork and bounced to safety.
Half Time: 0-1
Second Half:
It was a slow start from both sides to the second half, but it was Town who had the first chance when the ball fell to Whalley on the edge of the box, but his shot was blocked.
Peterborough then could have doubled their advantage, but Jayson Leutwiler made a triple save to keep out Paul Taylor.
But, it was Town who would get the next goal when they broke quickly and Joe Riley’s pinpoint cross was met by Ian Black at the back-post, with his header looping over McGhee to make it 1-1 in the 55th minute.
Town then had the perfect opportunity to take the lead on 58 minutes when Antoni Sarcevic was fouled by Ryan Tafazolli in the box. Referee Handley pointed to the spot and the Peterborough defender was sent off for a straight red.
The resulting penalty kick was taken by Ian Black, but McGhee saved low to his right hand side and AJ Leitch-Smith could only shoot wide from the rebound.
10 man Peterborough continued to look dangerous on the break and some good work from Andrew Hughes saw Paul Taylor played through on the right hand side, his ball across was met by Maddison, but his shot was well blocked.
Town made their first change of the evening as Louis Dodds replaced Shaun Whalley who seemed to be struggling with injury. That was followed by Micky Mellon’s second substitution 4 minutes later as Leitch-Smith was taken off in place of Andy Mangan.
With both sides struggling to create any real clear cut chances. Micky Mellon made his last throw of the dice as Antoni Sarcevic was replaced by former Barcelona winger Moha Choulay.
Town created an opening with 6 minutes to go when Jack Grimmer got forward down the right and cut the ball back from the by-line, but Louis Dodds mistimed his shot and it couldn’t fall for Moha.
Town pilled on the pressure in the late stages with Joe Riley heading just over from a corner, but that was the best that Town could muster as they drew 1-1.
Full Time: 1-1