Shrewsbury Town

Late Whalley goal not enough to give Town a point

Shrewsbury Town: Jayson Leutwiler, Joe Riley (Jack Grimmer 35), Mat Sadler ©, Shaun Whalley, Junior Brown, Bryn Morris, Gary Deegan, Freddie Ladapo (Tyler Roberts 67 (Stephen Humphrys 77)), Aristote Nsiala, Alex Rodman, Stefan Payne

Substitutes: Mark Halstead, Stephen Humphrys, Louis Dodds, Jack Grimmer, AJ Leitch-Smith, Adam El-Abd, Tyler Roberts

Millwall: Tom King, Shaun Hutchinson, Tony Craig ©, Shaun Williams, Ben Thompson, Mahlon Romeo, Jed Wallace (David Worrall 81), Byron Webster, Shane Ferguson (Calum Butcher 86), Steve Morison, Aiden O’Brien (Fred Onyedinma 70)

Substitutes: Harry Girling, Shaun Cummings, David Worrall, Fred Onyedinma, Calum Butcher, Jake Cooper, Jimmy Abdou

Referee: Mark Haywood
Assistants: Richard Wild and Ravel Cheosiaua
Fourth Official: Michael D’aguilar

Attendance: 4712 (330)

Shrewsbury Town went down to their fourth defeat in a row as they were beaten 2-1 by Millwall. Millwall scored either side of half-time and despite a late goal from Shaun Whalley, they couldn’t manage to get an equaliser

Team News:
Paul Hurst makes three changes to the side which were beaten 2-0 by Bristol Rovers last time out. Ryan Yates is suspended after his controversial sending off on Saturday and he is replaced by Bryn Morris. Meanwhile, Town’s front two of Tyler Roberts and Louis Dodds are replaced by Freddie Ladapo and Stefan Payne as Hurst looks for a physical presence upfront.

First Half:
Steve Morison had an early sighter for the visitors as he volleyed over from 12 yards after finding a yard of space in the Shrewsbury penalty area, but it was Shrewsbury who had the better of the opening 10 minutes.

Their best chance came eight minutes in when they built well down the left, before Bryn Morris delivered a pinpoint cross onto the head of Shaun Whalley, who had ghosted away from Tony Craig at the backpost, but his header went well over from eight yards.

With Morison and Aiden O’Brien upfront the Lions certainly had a physical presence at the business end of the pitch and Morison, who was battling alongside Shrewsbury defender Mat Sadler, had the better of the battle at times, but he couldn’t find the target with a shot from the edge of the box or with a glancing header from Ben Thompson’s corner.

Shaun Williams nearly found himself in the referee’s notebook after clashing with Shrewsbury Goalkeeper Jayson Leutwiler. Williams had every right to go for the ball after Shane Ferguson’s delightful delivery, but Williams caught the Canadian ‘keeper and was given a telling off from Mark Haywood.

Millwall should have taken the lead on 25 minutes as Jed Wallace galloped 60 yards down the right hand side, before putting in a delightful cross across which inexplicably evaded everyone as Steve Morison looked set to side-foot home at the back-post.

The away side almost had luck on their side 15 minutes before the break when Ben Thompson’s scuffed shot made its way to Morison, but it appeared to catch the big striker by surprise and he shot well over from the edge of the box, much to the delight of the Shrewsbury fans.

Millwall had had the better of the first half chances without testing Leutwiler and they finally made Shrewsbury pay on 34 minutes when Tony Craig’s free kick was flicked on by Steve Morison straight into the path of Byron Webster, who caught Junior Brown on his heels before shooting into the bottom left hand corner.

Straight after the goal Shrewsbury were forced into their first change of the evening as Joe Riley went down with what looked like a leg injury and Jack Grimmer came on in a like for like change.

The goal appeared to energize Millwall and they began to get on top before the half time interval. Ben Thompson’s deflected effort brought out the best in Leutwiler who managed to turn it around the post.

Alex Rodman had a decent effort in first half stoppage time as he unleashed a powerful drive from 25 yards out, but it swerved just wide of Tom King’s goal.

Half Time: 0-1

Second Half:
Shrewsbury appeared to come out reenergised in the second half and Stefan Payne had Town’s first shot on target as Junior Brown did well down the left before crossing into the feet of Payne who turned well, but his effort was straight at King.

Town couldn’t have come much closer to an equaliser a couple of minutes later as Shaun Whalley raced down the right hand side before putting a wicked ball across the face of the Millwall goal and Mahlon Romeo looked to have scored an own goal, only for his clearance to somehow go over the bar from 3 yards out.

Shrewsbury kept the pressure on from the result corner, but Toto Nsiala could only glance over after another good Whalley cross.

Millwall appeared to be happy with holding onto a 1-0 lead and they stifled Shrewsbury by getting lots of men around the ball at all times.

They did have one worrying moment when Tom King dropped a Shaun Whalley free kick, but Shrewsbury couldn’t make the most of it as Alex Rodman and Mat Sadler both had shots blocked.

With Town needing a goal Paul Hurst made his second change of the night as Tyler Roberts came on for Freddie Ladapo for the final 25 minutes, but Roberts managed just 10 minutes of action before going down injured and being replaced by Stephen Humphrys.

With Millwall now sitting deep, their main threat came on the break and they had a chance when Steve Morison brought a long ball down well before feeding Aiden O’Brien, but his a combination of Jack Grimmer and Toto Nsiala got back well to block O’Brien’s shot.

That would be O’Brien’s last action of the evening as Millwall brought on the Fred Onyedinma his place, adding pace to the forward line.

Millwall won a free-kick 35 yards out and after a long delay for Roberts’ injury Shane Ferguson was allowed to take it. His delivery caused chaos in the Shrewsbury box with Town ‘keeper Jayson Leutwiler appearing to sustain a head injury, but Shaun Hutchinson fired into the empty net and the goal stood, despite Shrewsbury’s appeals.

Town were next to try their luck as Stephen Humphry’s broke quickly the centre of the pitch and his ball found Alex Rodman, but his curling shot was comfortable for King.

Shrewsbury would get one back in the 90th minute as Shaun Whalley, Town’s most likely scorer on the evening, hit a powerful shot which slipped through the Millwall  ‘keepers grasp and bounced off Hutchinson and into the back of the net.

Town pushed for an equaliser in the five minutes of stoppage time and Stefan Payne had a glancing header go wide, but they couldn’t manage to find it as they lost for the fourth consecutive game.