Town secure three points in a dramatic finish.
Shrewsbury: 25 Max O’Leary, 2 Aaron Pierre, 3 Scott Golbourne, 4 Dave Edwards, 5 Ro-Shaun Williams (OFF 59), 8 Ollie Norburn ©, 10 Fejiri Okenabirhe (OFF 82), 17 Donald Love, 22 Sean Goss (OFF 45), 24 Ethan Ebanks-Landell, 28 Josh Laurent
Substitutes: 7 Shaun Whalley (ON 45), 11 Ryan Giles (ON 59), 35 Jason Cummings (ON 82)
Unused Substitutes: 1 Joe Murphy, 6 Omar Beckles, 15 Brad Walker, 23 Daniel Udoh
Coventry: 1 Marko Marosi, 4 Michael Rose, 5 Kyle McFadzean, 6 Liam Kelly ©, 8 Jamie Allen, 9 Max Biamou (OFF 62), 17 Callum O’Hare (OFF 90), 20 Liam Walsh, 23 Fankaty Dabo, 26 Jordan Shipley (OFF 90), 31 Sam McCallum
Substitutes: 24 Matt Godden (ON 62), 33 Gervane Kastaneer (ON 90), 21 Amadou Bakayoko (ON 90)
Unused Substitutes: 13 Ben Wilson, 3 Brandon Mason, 15 Dominic Hyam, 25 Zain Westbrooke
Referee: Tom Neild
Assistant Referees: Kevin Morris and Richard Bartlett
Fourth Official: Ollie Williams
Attendance: 7336 (1529 Coventry)
A second half comeback for Town as Golbourne and Whalley bring Town ahead of The Sky Blues
Town remain unchanged from last week's goalless draw away at Oxford. Coventry are also unchanged from their mid-week FA Cup victory over Ipswich.
Shrewsbury headed into half-time a goal behind the visitors after winger Jordan Shipley scored the only goal that separated both teams. Shipley was off the mark within the first 20 seconds after hitting a rasping shot towards Town’s goal but Ro-Shaun Williams stood tall and made the brave effort to block the shot.
Within the first 10 minutes the Sky Blues looked as if they were struggling to get out of their own half. Town were pressing high and causing the back-line all kinds of problems.
Coventry were on track for a great effort on goal as they had a free-kick on the edge of Town’s 18-yard-box. Kyle McFadzean was over it but once again, Town’s wall stood tall and blocked the curling effort.
The Sky Blues picked up the paces slightly, after Sam McCallum came roaring down the right wing and floated in a lofted ball but shot-stopped Max O’Leary sprang into action and palmed the ball away from danger.
Town managed to break Coventry’s lines many times but weren’t fortunate enough to find an end product. Dave Edwards did well to pinch the ball back and poke it through three of Coventry’s defenders to midfield maestro, Sean Goss. Goss hit a first-time curling effort to the far post but none of Town’s men were there to get on the end of it.
Shrewsbury played some great one-touch football down the right wing, Laurent played in Fey towards the byline and Fey fires in a cross as Edwards is there waiting but the ball was just inches short of Edwards’ boot.
Coventry instantly hit back after midfielder Jamie Allan made a great run down the right-hand-side after receiving the ball and hitting a first-time cross into Town’s box onto Shipley’s head. Coventry lead, 1-0.
Shrewsbury came close again after captain Ollie Norburn found Ro-Shaun at the back with a lot of space. Ro-Shaun played a long diagonal ball into Scott Golbourne down the left, Golbourne found Laurent and Laurent ran towards the byline, cut back a cross onto Fey’s head but Fey couldn’t just hit the target.
Minutes later, another chance from Fey after a shot from distance but Marko Marosi does well to collect the ball after it bounced awkwardly towards him.
With only minutes before half-time, a blocked ball landed at the feet of Aaron Pierre, Pierre goes on a rampage throughout Coventry’s midfield and defence, had a shot from distance and the ball was blocked away for a Town corner.
Half-Time: Shrewsbury 0 – 1 Coventry
Sam Ricketts made his first change of the game at half-time as Sean Goss was replaced by super Shaun Whalley. Whalley instantly made an impact to the game after he wins a free-kick in a dangerous area around Coventry’s box. Whalley took but the ball was blocked away.
With 30 minutes remaining, Ricketts made his second change of the game as Ro-Shaun is replaced by Ryan Giles. Again, another instant impact from the substitute, Giles flew down the wing and floated a ball into the box trying to find the head of Whalley but Marosi is off his line to collect the ball.
Josh Laurent found himself in a shooting distance and didn’t think twice about hesitating. A great effort saw his shot blocked and away for a corner. Giles stepped up and hit it towards the back post, after a goalmouth scramble, Golbourne poked the ball past the many bodies in the box and bought the score-line level. 1-1.
Giles was flying down the right wing and was almost bought down in the process by Fankaty Dabo, but Giles brushed it off and continued his run towards the byline, he cut back his cross to find McFadzean and smashed it away for a Town corner. Giles’ corner almost found the head of Pierre but it was headed away for another Tow corner. This time Norburn takes, Coventry head clear and manage to break.
Town had a let-off after Laurent bought down Callum O’Hare on the edge of the 18-yard-box. Shipley hit a rocket but the ball flew well over O’Leary’s goal.
With only eight minutes remaining, Ricketts made his third and final change as Okenabirhie was replaced by Jason Cummings. Hopeful that Town can find a winner.
Cummings played a huge part in Town’s late winner as he broke down the right wing, saw Giles in acres of space down the right, played the ball to Giles, Giles then lofted a cross towards the back post where Whalley fired home a volley to bring Town ahead of the visitors.
Full-Time: Shrewsbury 2 – 1 Coventry