Salop exit the Emirates FA Cup at the third round stage despite a spirited and resolute performance at Anfield against Liverpool.
The opening 20 minutes displayed a predictable balance of play with the host's boasting 88% possession but only carving two clear chances in this period of play. The first fell to Ibrahima Konate who could only put his free header well over the bar from six yards. The second forced Marko Marosi into action as Kaide Gordon took aim from the edge of the box, sending a low shot straight for the bottom corner which was palmed wide by Salop's Slovakian shot-stopper.
Shrewsbury's first chance came through Nat Ogbeta who dribbled past Conor Bradley - the Liverpool right-back - and sent a cross right across the face of goal that was begging for a touch but received none and Andrew Robertson collected the ball on the other side of the pitch.
Their second chance came seconds later and it came about in exactly the same fashion. Ethan Ebanks-Landell spread the ball over to Ogbeta with a pinpoint 60-yard pass and Ogbeta drove past Bradley and drilled in an identical cross which did receive that crucial touch. Dan Udoh was the man who stole in front of Konate at the near post and stabbed home in the 27th minute to send the travelling Salop faithful into pandemonium.
Town looked on top for a few minutes but it wasn't long before Liverpool secured their equaliser. Seven minutes later, Kaide Gordon collected the ball inside the Salop penalty area and, surrounded by defenders, managed to find Mariosi's bottom right-hand corner at the second attempt.
In a crazy end to the first half, Shrewsbury looked like they might've retaken the lead when Ryan Bowman found himself on the end of another cross but it was ruled out for offside.
Liverpool regained control of the match in the 44th minute when Fabinho fired a penalty into that same bottom corner Gordon had found moments earlier. Ebanks-Landell - marking Virgil van Dijk - committed a handball which diverted the ball away from the Dutch defender's head.
The hosts should've had a third in the opening minutes of the second half when Elijah Dixon-Bonner was denied by a fantastic save from Marosi who made himself big to block the effort from 12 yards.
The next half an hour saw the game slow as Salop sat back and Liverpool passed the ball around in the attacking third. It was a period of few chances but Shrewsbury won't have been complaining about that as they stuck to their rigid shape and remained hard to break down.
This was the case until spirited battling from Bradley got the young right-back to the byline where he cut the ball across the six-yard box to Konate. Vela nicked the ball off his toes but the ball then fell to Roberto Firmino who took one touch before backheeling the ball home.
Fabinho smashed home a fourth with the last kick of the game to secure Salop's fate as, despite taking the lead and showing their best selves, they ultimately came unstuck against the European giants and exited the Emirates FA Cup.
The Teams:
Salop: Marko Marosi, Luke Leahy (Charlie Caton, 90), Ethan Ebanks-Landell, Matthew Pennington, Josh Vela, Daniel Udoh (Saikou Janneh, 83), Ryan Bowman (Tom Bloxham, 83), Nathanael Ogbeta (Aaron Pierre, 83), David Davies, Elliott Bennett, (Joshua Daniels, 88), George Nurse
Subs not used: Harry Burgoyne, Sam Cosgrove, Rekeil Pyke, Kade Craig,
Liverpool: Caoimhin Kelleher, Fabinho, Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate, Curtis Jones, Andrew Robertson (Kostas Tsimikas, 90), Elijah Dixon-Bonner (Roberto Firmino, 64), Kaide Gordon (Melkamu Frauendorf, 80), Tyler Morton (James Norris, 90), Max Woltman (Takumi Minamino, 46), Conor Bradley
Subs not used: Adrian, Joel Matip, Isaac Mabaya, James Balagizi
Officials:
Referee: David Coote
Assistant Referees: Nick Hopton and Shaun Hudson
Fourth Official: Geoff Eltringham
Bookings:
Matthew Pennington picked up the first yellow card of the game in the 13th minute for pulling Curtis Jones' shirt.
Ethan Ebanks-Landell also went in David Coote's book for a foul in the 88th minute.
Josh Daniels was the next man to be carded after fouling Andrew Robertson in the 89th minute.
