Town earn a point at home against Peterborough Unite
Town: Steve Arnold, Mat Sadler, Omar Beckles, Greg Docherty, Fejiri Okenabirhie, James Bolton, Aaron Amadi-Holloway (Lenell John-Lewis, 71), Luke Waterfall, Josh Laurent (Shaun Whalley, 62) (Lee Angol, 87), Ollie Norburn, Anthony Grant.
Subs: Joel Coleman, Ryan Haynes, Shaun Whalley, Lee Angol, Lenell John-Lewis, Alex Gilliead, Ryan Sears.
Posh: Aaron Chapman, Colin Daniel, Alex Woodyard, Ryan Tafazolli, Matt Godden (Jason Cummings, 78), Siriki Dembele (George Cooper, 57), Louis Reed (Jamie Walker, 71), Joe Ward, Rhys Bennett, Ivan Toney, Marcus Maddison.
Subs: Connor O’Malley, Jason Naismith, Jamie Walker, Mark O’Hara, George Cooper, Matt Stevens, Jason Cummings.
Referee: Michael Salisbury
Assistants: Chris Isherwood and Mark Griffiths
Fourth official: Helen Byrne
Attendance: 5393 (299)
Shrewsbury Town claimed a well-earned point against Peterborough United with a 2-2 score-line.
Town looked set to take all three points after goals from Fejiri Okenabirhie and Greg Docherty but the away side managed to find a late equaliser to level the full-time score.
Team News: Sam Ricketts made no changes to his line-up compared to the new Town manager’s last league team selection away at Burton Albion.
First Half:
Town didn’t take long to impose themselves onto the game and the opposition. Greg Docherty received a pass on the edge of the box and looked to be in a yard of space. The midfielder took a nice touch and lashed a long-range shot from outside of the box, which nestled into the corner of Aaron Chapman’s net after just two minutes.
Very much against the run of play, the visitors found an equaliser through Matt Godden. The Posh frontman managed to drag the ball into the box and scuffed an effort under Steve Arnold to bring the scores back level in the 12th minute.
The Posh were growing into the game with 20 minutes on the clock, but Town didn’t look shaken after the goal and were still looking to progress with positive and attacking moves up the pitch.
Town came inches away from reinstating the lead half way through the half. Docherty whipped in a lovely driven cross, which flashed across the mouth of the goal but no Town man was able to get a boot on the ball to prod it home.
Town dominated the opening minutes of the first period, but towards the backstretch the Posh were making the game an even affair. Both sides were having sights at goal but nothing majorly dangerous.
The two teams went into the half-time break all even. The visitors grew into the game as the half went on and a 1-1 score line was a fair reflection of the first 45 minutes.
Second Half:
It was Town who came out for the second-half and looked the most dangerous. Docherty and Ollie Norburn were the catalysts in the middle of the park and were continually trying to push the pace.
Town capitalised on positive attacking play and managed to grab another goal after 15 minutes. Docherty played defence-splitting pass towards goal, which Fejiri Okenabirhie managed to get on the end of. The forward took the ball around the keeper and slotted the ball home from a tight angle – giving Town the lead in the 621st minute.
Okenabirhie was close to adding a second goal to his name just two minutes later. Another nice pass from Docherty saw the forward in a yard of space just inside the box. However, his shot wasn’t enough to trouble the keeper who did well to hold the ball.
Town were fortunate to hold onto the lead just 10 minutes later. Godden got on the end of a driven cross, but the forward was unable to convert and hit the bar from inside the six-yard box – to the relief of the Town back four.
Anthony Grant was shown a yellow card in the 79th minute for pulling down a Peterborough player as they looked to break up the pitch.
Jason Cummings was given a yellow card shortly after for pulling on Shaun Whalley’s shirt as he dribbled past the striker.
The Posh were battling hard to throw everything at Town, but the home side back four were doing a good job to remain calm and deal with the oppositions attacks as Sam’s men looked to see out the game.
The visitors managed to find equaliser in the 90th minute. A goalmouth scramble ensued and the Posh managed to get Rhys Bennett on the ball to find the net.
The game ended level on the score sheet as the visitors managed to net a late equaliser.