Shrewsbury Town

Our regular look at how players are getting on away from the club

Shrewsbury Town’s first team might not have been in action this weekend, but it didn’t stop some members of Paul Hurst’s squad getting some game time as four loan players were in action for their respective clubs.

Ryan Sears helped Newtown get back to winning ways with an impressive 2-0 victory over Carmarthen Town. The game had been described as a six-pointer as the two bottom clubs faced each other and it was Newtown who came out on top. The game appeared to be heading for a stalemate until long serving wide made Luke Boundford was brought on.  Boundford netted a header eight minutes from time and then won the free-kick which Neil Mitchell managed to score from. It was a big victory for Newtown who moved out of the relegation places and eight points clear of their opponents.

John McAtee was unable to open up a staunch Shaw Lane defence as Halesowen drew 0-0 on Saturday. Shaw Lane came into the game on the back of their good FA Cup showing against Mansfield Town last weekend and Halesowen were unable to break them down. McAtee produced a couple of chances for strike partner Daniel Udoh, but he was unable to take them.

Dom Smith was part of a Southport side that drew for the fourth time in a row on Saturday. The Sandgrounders have drawn all four games since former Bolton Wanderers Striker Kevin Davies took over the helm, meaning they now haven’t won for 10 matches, a run stretching back to the start of September. All four goals came in the first-half of this 2-2 draw.

Shaun Rowley’s Tamworth side put in a spirited display against high-flying Salford City on Saturday, but were eventually beaten 2-1. Salford, the club part-owned by Manchester United’s Class of ’92, moved seven points clear at the top of the National League North with the victory. Tamworth took the lead on 26 minutes through Aman Verma, but it lasted just four minutes as Mark Shelton struck a powerful free-kick past Rowley. The game looked like it could be heading for a draw until former Telford striker Mike Phenix glanced home a corner to give Salford all three points.

Meanwhile, Callum Roberts was forced to sit on the bench as TNS beat Queen of the South 4-3 on penalties to reach the semi-final of the Irn-Bru Cup. The game had ended in a stalemate after extra time, but TNS goalkeeper Paul Harrison proved the hero as he saved twice in the shootout. TNS will now face either Dumbarton, Crusaders or Inverness Caledonian Thistle in the semi-finals.