Town secure a 1-0 win to earn a place in the FA Cup third-round.
Town: Steve Arnold, Mat Sadler, Omar Beckles, Greg Docherty, Fejiri Okenabirhie (Josh Emmanuel, 90), James Bolton, Alex Gilliead (Lenell John-Lewis, 75), Aaron Amadi-Holloway, Luke Waterfall, Josh Laurent, Anthony Grant.
Subs: Joel Coleman, Josh Emmanuel, Ryan Haynes, Lenell John-Lewis, Abo Eisa, Charlie Colkett, Ryan Sears.
United: Jak Alnwick, Cameron Borthwick-Jackson, Matthew Lund, Josh Morris, Andy Dales, Lee Novak, George Thomas, Charlie Goode, Cameron Burgess, Rory McArdle, Kyle Wooton.
Subs: Jonathan Flatt, James Horsfield, Ike Ugbo, Stephen Humphreys, Clayton Lewis, Yasin El-Mhanni, Levi Sutton.
Attendance: 3427 (192)
Shrewsbury Town managed 1-0 win against a very competitive Scunthorpe United in the FA Cup second-round.
Aaron Amadi-Holoway’s goal and Steve Arnold’s late penalty save secured Town a spot in the third-round.
Team News: Danny Coyne made one change from the team that faced off with Plymouth. Ollie Norburn was withdrawn from the squad due to a knock and was replaced by Alex Gilliead.
First Half:
The first-half action in the FA Cup second-round got underway with Town looking to progress up the field at any given chance. Town’s first opening came in the fifth minute. A ball was delivered into the box and bounced around before Jak Alnwick was able to calmly claim the ball.
Just a minute later the visitors had a golden opportunity to take the lead. Matthew Lund found Lee Novak in the box with two yards of space. The forward connected with a headed effort, but saw the ball zip wide.
It was Town who were looking the more threatening side after 15 minutes of action. Inform Fejiri Okenabirhie was the next Shrews player to have a shot. The forward’s tidy feet saw him with half a yard of space to let his effort go, but Alnwick was equal to the powerful attempt and parried the ball away.
Town were threatening again with dangerous and pacey movement going forward, Josh Laurent was the next player to go close for Town. His long-range effort deflected and was looping towards goal, but the ball beat the keeper but rebounded off the post.
Matthew Lund was given a yellow card n the 24th minute for a challenge on Anthony Grant in the middle of the park.
The deadlock was finally broke in the 36th minute through Town frontman Aaron Amadi-Holloway. The striker picked up the ball on the edge of the box, slipped to the right and let off a thunderbolt of an effort, which nestled into the far corner of the goal.
The Iron had a chance to level the score during injury time. George Thomas stood over a free-kick from 25 yards out and managed to challenge Steve Arnold with his driven effort. Town’s keeper saw the ball all the way and parried the ball away from danger.
Town went into the break one goal up on the score sheet. Coyne’s men would have been pleased to have the advantage after a strongly contested half.
Second Half:
The second-half stared just as the first had finished, with both teams looking to spark attacking moves – especially down the wings. Both teams were having success with their delivery but nothing concrete to challenge either keeper.
In the 57th minute Mat Sadler was given a yellow card by referee Ben Toner for a challenge near the centre-circle.
The visitors had to wait until the 68th minute for a real chance at goal. Kyle Wooton did well to rise above his man and make a connection with the ball from a lofted cross, but the forward’s header narrowly went wide.
Amadi-Holloway was also booked in the 74th minute. Referee Ben Toner deemed the forward's challenge for the ball a foul.
The second-half didn’t include as much attacking football and chances as the first had produced. The battle between the two sides took place in the middle of the park, with both teams looking to sustain a period of possession. Grant and Laurent were two dispatching most of the neat passes around the field.
The Iron were awarded a penalty in the 88th minute to the surprise of everyone in the Montgomery Waters Meadow. Josh Morris stood up to take the penalty, but Steve Arnold made a great save to keep Town’s lead in tact.
Lenell John-Lewis was given a yellow card in the final moments of the game for a poor challenge in the middle of the park.
Town managed to see the game out to earn a spot in the FA Cup third-round.