Striker Marvin Morgan is set to serve a three-match suspension after Shrewsbury Town chiefs opted not to appeal his controversial red card.

The nine-goal hitman was sent off in the first half of Saturday’s 2-1 win at home to League Two leaders Southend.

Town boss Graham Turner considered appealing the decision, which even Southend chief Paul Sturrock described as soft, but has decided not to risk an increased ban.

“We did consider it very harsh and the challenge was clumsy more than anything else,” said Turner.

“But having viewed the incident from the camera position, I don’t think there are grounds for an appeal.

“The ball has gone past him and he’s barely caught the lad, but he has missed the ball.

“It’s a hot topic at the moment – anybody going in with studs up, anybody mis-timing a tackle because of the publicity of some of the things that have happened in the Premier League.

“With the view that he could get a match added if they consider it a frivolous appeal, we’ve looked very closely at it and decided not to appeal.”

Turner also believes the enforced break might prove useful for Morgan, who has scored just two goals in his last 20 appearances.

“Sometimes when players have missed a period, you want to see them coming back really fired up,” said Turner.

“We’re hoping that is what is going to happen with Reuben Hazell and Nicky Wroe coming back from injury and now Marvin is going to miss three games. That might benefit him in the long run.”

Meanwhile, midfielder Wroe made a positive impression on his first match action since returning to full training after injury, scoring in the reserves’ 2-2 friendly draw with Crewe yesterday.

Fellow midfielder Sean McAllister was also on target in the game, which was played on the training pitch next to the Greenhous Meadow.

Town fielded a strong side which also featured goalkeeper Ben Smith, defender Carl Regan, midfielders Steve Leslie, Aaron Wildig and Lionel Ainsworth, and strikers Tom Bradshaw and Terry Gornell.

See also:

• Shrewsbury Town need defensive cover after Cansdell-Sherriff blow
• Jermaine Grandison plays through the pain for Shrewsbury Town
• Shrewsbury Town 2 Southend 1 – Match analysis