Striker Grant Holt celebrated his fist ever hat-trick in competitive professional football - his five-goal blitz helping Shrewsbury Town to a second 7-0 rout inside four weeks.
Holt was simply sensational at Adams Park last night as Wycombe Wanderers were sent crashing out of the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy in spectacular fashion.
Town are now through to the southern area quarter-finals and will discover their next opponents when the draw is made live on Sky TV’s Soccer AM on Saturday.
Record signing Holt’s five-goal haul was the first in a competitive game by a Shrewsbury player since Ian Atkins smashed in five in an 8-1 victory over Caernarfon in the Welsh Cup in January 1982.
And it is the first against a side from the Football League since Alf Wood matched it in the 7-1 demolition of Blackburn Rovers in a division three game on October 2, 1971.
“The goals were great, but what was even more pleasing was the performance,” said modest Holt, who will actually be suspended for the visit of Port Vale on Saturday. “In the first half we showed how good we are when we keep the ball.
“I’m delighted to get five goals because it’s something I’ll probably never do again - I think the fourth one was my favourite, it was a great finish so that was very pleasing.
“I’d never actually scored a hat-trick in a proper competitive game, so it’s nice to get that one out of the way and it takes some of the burden off me.
“I got one in a friendly for Nottingham Forest but this is the first proper one. I’ve got the matchball and I’ll get it signed by all the lads and it’ll go in pride of place at home.”
The result -Town’s first ever win at Wycombe at the ninth attempt - matched the 7-0 victory over Gillingham at the Prostar Stadium on September 13 which equaled the club’s record league success.
Delighted boss Paul Simspon had set Shrewsbury up in a more conventional 4-4-2, with Kevin McIntyre and Ben Davies asked to stay wide on the two wings.
“I just wanted to look at something different,” he said. “I just feel as if, when we’ve played away from home, we haven’t dominated games and we haven’t passed the balls as well with the shape I want to try and set up.
“We just made the midfield spread a little bit wider last night. We created opportunities and we got our reward from it.
“I’m not pinching myself because I’ve seen it with my own eyes,” he added. “I see it in training day in, day out. I know the attitude they’ve got and the determination they’ve got.
“Very, very rarely do you get two 7-0 victories in a season - and against good sides in Gillingham and Wycombe. We’ve got a hell of a lot to be satisfied with.”
By Chris Hudson
9 Comments
Seventh Heaven Part 2. Simply sensational!
what a man! stop the doubters saying he cant score in open play! up the shrews!!
absolutely ace, well done town, wycombe are top of league 2, 7 more against vale on saturday. ee ii adyo we won cup. f f floreat salopia
Congrats to Holty and the whole team and to Simmo as well. the second 7-0 in a matter of weeks is AMAZING.
just a word of caution, i do hope town’s heroic displays don’t provoke micky mouse premier clubs like man city going into the transfer market in january at town’s expense. holty is not for sale, neither do we want to lose simmo, otherwise keep those goals coming.
He’s better than Willie Naughton!
It’s good to see that Town passes the ball more than before, as far as I can see from the match highlight. Keep doing that.
i predict there may be more goal fests to come starting this saturday against vale, pity holt is suspended but with strength in depth some other star is bound to emerge.
ps hope we have no money invested in icelandic banks, as they are in meltdown!1
were going to win the league!