Shrewsbury Town secured a 2-0 win against Lincoln City on Saturday afternoon at the Meadow.
Town opened the scoring in additional time at the end of the first half through Luke Leahy's penalty kick.
The home side made it a two in the 60th minute after Tom Bayliss tapped home from close range following a fabulous cross from creator Jordan Shipley.
Steve Cotterill opted for a 3-4-1-2 formation at Montgomery Waters Meadow – with the boss keeping faith with the team that ran out 3-1 winners against Peterborough in the FA Cup last Saturday.
It meant Rob Street partnered Christian Saydee up front with Bayliss in the number 10 role.
Lincoln manager Mark Kennedy went with a 3-4-3 system with Ben House leading the line.
It was the Imps who created the first chance of the game when House caught Marko Marosi in possession on the edge of his box in the 12th minute.
The goalkeeper managed to make up for his error by making a smart stop with his leg to block the striker’s shot.
Lincoln threatened again just before the half-hour mark when the ball broke for Matty Virtue just inside the box.
He then powered a low drive toward goal, but Marosi got down and, with a strong arm, brilliantly kept the ball out.
Following some fantastic skill from Christian Saydee in the 34th minute on the edge of the box, the forward was able to dink the ball over his onrushing marker and send a shot inches wide of the post.
A minute later, Rob Street sent a delightful cross into the danger area, and Saydee and Shipley were on hand to try and meet it, but the ball, unfortunately, had too much pace.
Salop had another opportunity not long after when Tom Flanagan surged into the box following a corner.
The defender then sent a powerful strike towards the goal that Carl Rushworth brilliantly tipped onto the bar.
Just before the break, Shrewsbury was awarded a penalty when Jamie Robson handled a cross in the box.
Leahy converted from the spot for the second time in as many games when he sent a ball into the bottom left corner, which Rushworth was able to reach but couldn’t stop it rustling the back of the net.
Following neat build-up play by Town after the break Bayliss received the ball 20 yards out and sent a curling strike toward goal, but Rushworth reacted quickly and claimed.
Town got a second goal on the hour mark, Shipley was the creator after he drilled a wonderful cross to the back post.
Bayliss did incredibly well to charge into the box and hammer home from close range.
10 minutes before full time, the Imps had an opportunity to pull one back through Max Sanders, who sent a curling strike towards goal, but Marosi at full stretch parried it away.
Despite spells of pressure, the visitors couldn’t break down Town’s solid defence, which meant Shrewsbury's clinical finishing in both halves proved the difference this afternoon.
Teams
Salop XI:
Marosi (GK), Leahy (C), Pennington, Moore, Winchester, Street (Pyke, 82), Bayliss, Dunkley, Saydee (Bowman, 82), Shipley, Flanagan
Unused subs:
Burgoyne (GK), Hutchings, Barlow, Bloxham
Lincoln XI:
Rushworth, Poole (C), Sanders, Vernam (Hopper, 68), O’Connor, Walsh, Robson, House, Eyoma, Virtue, Diamond
Unused subs:
Wright, Sorensen, Roughan, Davenport, Draper, Ahui
Bookings: Dunkley, Moore, Walsh, Vernam, O’Connor
Attendance: 5,461
Away: 405
