Under 18s thrash local rivals at the Sports Village
Shrewsbury Town: Cameron Gregory (Jack Atkinson 70), Ryan Millington, Cameron Esien, Chris Gallagher (Harri Lovett 65), Joel Bonner, Brett Taylor, Aaron Gilpin, George Hughes (Jacob Rammell 65), Charley Higgs (George Hassell 70), John McAtee, Tyrone Ofori (Reiss Corfield 45)Wrexham: Dave Rigby, Carl Spelman, Jack Thorn, Ben Barratt, Doug Tharme, Ben Burrows, Tommy Creamer, Ryan Williams, Jamie McColl, Scott McHarrie (Matty Sargant 60), Cameron McGregor (Stefan Bulkley 45)
Subs: Sion Jones
Shrewsbury Town’s youth team produced a dominant performance to see off lowly Wrexham at the Shrewsbury Sports Village. Town led one-nil at half time, but put Wrexham to the sword in the second 45 minutes scoring five times, before Jack Atkinson saved a penalty to keep the clean-sheet.
Team News:
Ryan Sears continues his suspension while Matt Jones is struggling with a knee injury. Under 15 right back Ryan Millington and Under 16 centre half Brett Taylor come into the back four. Charley Higgs leads the line.
First Half:
Town couldn’t have got off to a better start and were in front after just four minutes as Cameron Esien linked with Tyrone Ofori down the Town left and Esien’s low cross found Aaron Gilpin at the back post who slotted past Rigby to make it 1-0.
Town dominated the ball for the majority of the first half with Aaron Gilpin at the heart of Town’s best play, but his crossing was wayward at times.
Wrexham struggled throughout the half and the nearest they came was a shot which hit the side netting from Jamie McColl.
In the final five minutes of the half Town began to create the chances that their dominant performant deserved.
Charley Higgs found himself in behind the Wrexham defence, but Rigby stood up well and saved with his legs.
McAtee then almost created a chance out of nothing when his mazy run allowed him room to shoot, but his shot was straight at the Wrexham ‘keeper as Town failed to double their account before half-time.
Half Time: 1-0
Second Half:
Town made a change at the break with Reiss Corfield replacing Tyrone Ofori and the change worked as Corfield linked well with Higgs on the right hand side and the latter played a perfect ball across the face which left back Esien buried after a lung busting 70 yard run.
Town made it three just two minutes later as Chris Gallagher delivered a perfectly weighted corner which Joel Bonner met with a side foot to beat the hapless Rigby.
Wrexham had their best chance of the game on the hour mark when Tommy Creamer turned his marker and Cameron Gregory was forced to pull off a fine save.
Town broke quickly and the Wrexham ‘keeper was forced to make a fine double save to keep out Higgs, pushing the second attempt round the post.
From the resulting corner Town added a fourth as Wrexham failed to clear their lines and Higgs finished off a goalmouth scramble.
Town made a double change with 25 minutes to go as Gallagher and Hughes were replaced by Jacob Rammell and Harri Lovett.
Town then scored a fifth when Aaron Gilpin played John McAtee into space down the left. McAtee then cut inside and fed Gilpin who had run 50 yards before turning his defender and shooting into the bottom right hand corner.
Town made two more substitutions with 20 minutes to go as Jack Atkinson replaced Cameron Gregory in goal and George Hassell came on for Higgs.
Wrexham then proceeded to have their best spell of pressure but they failed to test Atkinson and Town made them pay with a sixth.
Aaron Gilpin ran half the length of the pitch before unleashing a powerful left footed shot which looked to have beaten Rigby, only for it to hit the crossbar, but George Hassell was there to head home from inside the six yard box.
Gilpin’s shot appeared to have crossed the line, but the referee awarded the goal to Hassell meaning Aaron missed out on what would have been a deserved hat-trick.
Wrexham almost grabbed a consolation when Joel Bonner brought down Tommy Creamer in the box, but Jack Atkinson made a fine save to his left to deny Jamie McColl from the penalty spot.
Full-Time: 6-0