Shrewsbury Town lose out 3-2 on the road against Wycombe Wanderers.
Wycombe: David Stockdale, Sido Jombati, Joe Jacobson, Dominic Gape, Adam El-Abd, Curtis Thompson, Fred Onyedinma (Paris Cowan-Hall, 90), Nick Freeman, Nathan Tyson (Randell Williams, 67) Alex Samuel (Craig Mackail-Smith, 90), Jason McCarthy.
Subs: Cameron Yates, Anthony Stewart, Craig McKail-Smith, Scott Kashket, Paris Cowan-Hall, Michael Harriman, Randell Williams.
Town: Steve Arnold, Josh Emmanuel, Mat Sadler, Omar Beckles, Greg Docherty (Alex Gilliead, 61), Fejiri Okenabirhie, Aaron Amadi-Holloway (Lenell John-Lewis, 83), Luke Waterfall, Josh Laurent (Abo Eisa, 61), Ollie Norburn, Anthony Grant.
Subs: Joel Coleman, James Bolton, Lenell John-Lewis, Alex Gilliead, Abo Eisa, Charlie Colkett, Ryan Sears.
Referee: Andy Haines
Assistants: Garry Maskell and Adrian Tranter
Fourth official:
Attendance: 4598 (450)
Shrewsbury Town were unable to keep the winning run going, losing out to Wycombe Wanderers 3-2.
Okenabirhie and Aaron Amadi-Holloway’s two goals wasn’t enough to see Town take anything away from Adams Park.
Team News: Danny Coyne names an un-changed and un-beaten side from Town’s last fixture with Salford City in the FA Cup.
First Half:
Wycombe looked like the team who wanted to start fast and take it to Town immediately, but Town did well to absorb pressure, which resulted in Town being able to counter-attack. Coyne’s men took full advantage just a few minutes later with Aaron Amadi-Holloway heading home the ball from Fejiri Okenabirhie’s good delivery.
It took only six minutes for the home side to have a clear chance at the Town goal. Luke Waterfall’s attempted clearance was blocked and thrown back into the box. Former Shrews man Adam El-Abd controlled the ball well and slotted the ball into the corner of the goal – brining the scores level.
El-Abd was given a yellow card by referee Andy Haines for a foul on Okenabirhie as the forward looking to run down the wing.
Despite the fast start to the game, neither team were having clear-cut chances during the next 20 minutes. Town and the home side were doing well to limit the opposition to long-range efforts.
In the 40th minute Wycombe took the lead due to a terrific effort from Chairboys number three Joe Jacobson. The left-back fired his effort from outside the box and the ball nestled in the very corner of the goal – giving Steve Arnold no chance.
Town didn’t let that goal stop them from attacking the home side at any given chance. Waterfall came inches away from getting an almost immediate equaliser with a headed effort – only to see the ball crash off the post.
The home side went into the break up on the score sheet after an impressive 35-yard effort from Joe Jacobson took the lead for the Chairboys.
Second Half:
The second-half started polar opposite to how the first had begun. The return to the pitch didn’t weald any goalmouth action after 10 minutes with both teams cancelling each other out in the middle of the park.
The battle between the two sides was beginning to be dominated in the middle of the pitch. The home side were looking to retain possession but Town were constantly looking to progress forward to no avail.
The home side extended their lead in the 71st minute through Alex Samuel. The forward picked up the ball just inside the box and let off a driven shot, which zipped across the grass into the back of the net.
A counter-attacking move just a minute later saw Town grab a goal back. Norburn did well to hold onto the ball, which allowed the midfielder to place a through ball into the path of Okenabirhie. Town’s forward drove into the box and let off a powerful shot across goal, which went in via the side netting – bringing the score to 3-2.
The game drew to a close with the home side looking to minimalize Town’s opportunities going forward. The Chairboys were doing well to pin the ball in Town’s half.
The game came to an end with the home side clinching the three points.