Goals from Rodman and Beckles top a dominant away performance at the Valle
Town: Dean Henderson, Ben Godfrey, Mat Sadler, Omar Beckles, Shaun Whalley, Abu Ogogo, Carlton Morris, James Bolton, Jon Nolan, Aristote Nsiala. Alex Rodman.
Subs: Craig MacGillivray, Nathan Thomas, Lenell John-Lewis, Bryn Morris, Luke Hendrie, Abo Eisa, Stefan Payne.
Charlton: Ben Amos, Ahmed Kashi, Jason Pearce, Mark Marshall, Josh Magennis, Sullay Kaikai, Ezri Konsa, Joe Aribo, Jake Forster-Caskey, Chris Solly, Jay Dasilva.
Subs: Ashley Maynard- Brewer, Patrick Bauer, Johnnie Jackson, Ben Reeves, Tariqe Fosu, Nicholas Ajose, Micheal Zyro.
Referee: Christopher Sarginson
Assistants: Paul Graham and Carl Fitch-Jackson
Fourth Official: Charles Breakspear
Attendance: 17,581 (1,254)
Team news:
Jon Nolan is restored to the starting 11 after recovering from a bout of illness, also back starting is club captain Mat Sadler and winger Alex Rodman. Nathan Thomas and Luke Hendrie both drop to the bench. Max Lowe has been rested due to a hamstring injury.
A strong second half performance at The Valley from Town gave Paul Hurst’s men all three points. Goals from Alex Rodman and Omar Beckles proved to be the difference in what was a tightly contested game during the first half. Town now sit in second place, only one point behind league leaders Blackburn.
First Half:
In the very early stages of the game, Charlton had a number of Chances after persistent pressure, a cross whipped in by Charlton’s Joe Aribo was headed towards goal by number nine Josh Magennis but Dean Henderson made a great double save to keep the score level.
Paul Hurst was forced to make his first change of the game on the ten-minute mark, an injured James Bolton was replaced by Luke Hendrie.
Town were awarded a penalty in the 16th minute, after Jon Nolan was bought down in the box by Ezri Konsa. However, Town couldn’t capitalise on the opportunity and Nolan’s effort was saved by Ben Amos.
Four minutes later, Town were looking to break on the counter attack, but Shaun Whalley was pulled down by Forster Caskey and he was subsequently booked for the challenge.
Neither team were looking dangerous towards the latter stages of the half, both teams couldn’t create a clear-cut chance, with both sides battling hard in midfield and the two defences remaining strong.
Town did craft a chance in the 36th minute, Nolan made a good pass out to the right wing to where Whalley was waiting, the winger played in a cross which beat the Charlton defence, but Carlton Morris couldn’t find the back of the net with a left foot volley.
After a tightly contested first half, in which Town started brightly, the teams went into the half time break with the scores level.
0-0.
Second half:
A brilliant dribbling effort from Alex Rodman nearly created an early chance for the Shrews, the winger beat three Charlton defenders, only for his cross to be claimed by The Addicks goalkeeper.
A curling effort from Whalley in the 50th minute narrowly missed the Charlton goal, Whalley dribbled past two defenders and put the ball just wide of the post.
Although Town didn’t have to wait long for another chance, just a minute later Rodman broke the deadlock and fired his own curling effort from just inside the box, this time the shot nestled in the top right-hand corner, giving Amos no chance.
The Shrews were really pilling pressure on Charlton, Abu Ogogo calved out a pass which fell to Carlton Morris, his low strike from outside the box was saved by the Addicks keeper, keeping the margin to just one goal.
Charlton made a change shortly after, number seven Mark Marshall was taken off in favour of Tariqe Fosu.
Town were really starting to dominate the play, limiting Charlton’s possession and creating an array of chances, this pressure proved to be too much for Charlton’s defence as a Whalley Corner was met by the head of Omar Beckles in the 66th minute. The defender headed home, doubling the Shrews lead.
With 20 minutes left in the game, Charlton made another substitution, Jay Dasilva was replaced by Nicky Ajose.
A Town free kick in the 76th minute gave the Shrews another opportunity to widen the margin, Whalley cut the ball back to Nolan, but the midfielder couldn’t keep his shot down and blazed the ball over the bar.
A few minutes later, frustrated Charlton were awarded a yellow card after Chris Solley committed a late challenge, completely missing the ball.
In the 84th minute, a yellow card was branded to Josh Magennis and Ahmed Kashi after frustrations were boiling over after confrontation with the Town players.
Both teams were battling hard for the ball towards the back stretch of the half, Beckles was booked for fouling Aribo on the edge of the box.
Morris was the final substation for Shrewsbury, he was replaced by Lenell John-Lewis.
A strong and dominant second half for Town came to an end and the Shrews took home all three points, putting them only one point behind Blackburn.