Shrewsbury Town 1 Scunthorpe United 1 - Report and pictures

Shrewsbury Town put their home fans through the wringer again as they staged another late show in the quest for League One survival by securing a crucial and dramatic point against rivals Scunthorpe, writes Lewis Cox at Montgomery Waters Meadow.

Adam Hammill’s unfortunate own goal with six minutes to go rescued Sam Ricketts’ side a vital point to lift them to 14th having trailed for much of the afternoon against an out-of-form Scunthorpe.

Aiming to build on last week’s big win at Southend against another managerless drop zone rival, Salop never got near top gear as Scunthorpe used every trick in the book to delay the hosts building up any head of steam after Kyle Wootton handed them the lead midway through the first half.

Town could have reached the 49-point mark with a win, bringing them very close to the typical required safety mark, but given they trailed with 10 minutes to go, the point was most welcome.

Ricketts’ hosts were the side in the ascendency and going to win it late on but they could not carve out another opportunity against the visitors who had lost five in six.

The visitors did threaten at times and could have scored another, Jonathan Mitchell making one good second half save, but a draw seemed the right result on balance. Salop climbed one place to 14th in the standings and remained four clear of danger.

It was far from a perfect performance but given the context of the late leveller - it was a huge point for Shrewsbury.

Analysis

Ricketts rewarded the 11 players that performed particularly well in the second period to secure Salop a crucial win at Southend.

He kept his entire Town team the same for the visit of also managerless Scunthorpe, who came to Shropshire on a torrid run of five defeats in six. They were under the caretaker stewardship of Ricketts’ former Hull team-mate Andy Dawson.

Shrewsbury had the ultimate incentive of knowing another victory would take them to 49 points and on the cusp of League One safety.

They received a big fitness boost heading into the game as stand-in skipper Ollie Norburn passed fit to start after missing training in the week through his Achilles injury.

Norburn limped out at half-time of last week’s victory against the Shrimpers.

Goalkeeper Mitchell made his full Meadow debut after his clean sheet last week.

Dawson’s first game in caretaker charge was a home defeat resurgent fellow relegation battlers AFC Wimbledon.

The interim boss shuffled with his formation as well as making four changes from the Iron side that laboured against the Dons.

Town went into the clash with a bit of renewed momentum and belief and it showed against a Scunthorpe side out of sorts.

Ricketts’ men were showing sharp interplay in good positions through Fejiri Okenabirhie in particular.

Two of Ricketts’ other prized assets combined for a real chance inside five minutes. Greg Docherty tested his Rangers colleague Jak Alnwick between the sticks after a smart Ollie Norburn through ball. Alnwick’s leg denied Docherty.

Town dominated the ball and got into good positions early on but a set-piece was almost Shrews’ undoing, as somehow, no visiting player was able to turn home and Mitchell dived gratefully on the ball.

The club’s Supporters’ Parliament and boss Ricketts had called on the home crowd, including a sold out safe standing section for just a third time this season, to raise the volume levels.

And the fans responded following their side’s bright start.

For all of the hosts’ good work inside 10 or 15 minutes the game entered a lull and it suited the visitors, who had thus far only threatened from a dead ball.

And it wasn’t the greatest surprise when the Iron edged ahead with a crucial opener. The goal did not come from much. A throw in on the right led to right-back Tony McMahon sending in a peach of a cross that was headed in by powerful forward Wootton.

Ricketts would have been disappointed with the ease of cross and the marking for the goalscorer.

Salop did show a response and James Bolton was inches away from an equaliser with his far post header from Norburn’s corner.

The Town fans stayed with their side despite the opener, which went very much against the script.

Salop needed to show some of the intent they began the game with and for some of their big attackers to come to the fore.

Shaun Whalley stood up to the plate and, alongside Docherty, carried Town forward. Salop sent a few successive dangerous crosses into the visitors’ box and, on each occasion, the Iron didn’t entirely convince.

A couple of scrambled efforts didn’t drop the way of the hosts, but neither occasion forced Alnwick into any work.

The visitors were, understandably, taking their time over everything. McMahon in particular made the most of his injury on at least three occasions before being subbed off. Five minutes added on was kind on Scunthorpe.

Omar Beckles was an inch or two from rewarding his side with almost the last action of the half. He powered a header goalward and it took a superb goalline clearance from James Perch to keep Town out.

Salop went in at half-time guilty of not making some promising positions count. On a handful of occasions they carved out attractive situations but were not making the correct final decision.

At the break Town were down one place to 16th but their four-point gap to the bottom four was cut to two.

Shrewsbury came out after the break knowing they needed to take the initiative and control the tempo. Hopes were dashed early as, again, Iron players took an age to recover from every incident.

Defender Byron Webster headed another set-piece over in the latest example of Shrews not dealing with balls into their box.

Ricketts and his staff were demanding more of the players as Town were, at times, slack at regaining possession. Scunny sniffed a second goal on the break and pesky forward Wootton headed over from another cross the hosts should have dealt with.

Town fans upped the urgency around the hour mark and the players needed to follow suit. Whalley shot wayward, miles high and wide, while Okenabirhie’s well-position free-kick did the same.

Docherty had sprung into life and powered to the byline but his low cut back missed Okenabirhie and there was little other support in the Scunthorpe penalty box.

Ricketts’ first roll of the dice was Aaron Amadi-Holloway for Bolton as he went two up front. The big frontman - who scored the winner in the FA Cup against Scunthorpe at home in December - got involved early on as Town sent crosses his way.

Shrews had not done nearly enough to warrant an equaliser and, by the midpoint of the second period, Town knew another late show was needed.

Sub Amadi-Holloway looked the threat. Twice latching on to fine Whalley crosses and glancing headers goalwards. Alnwick dealt with the first before one was deflected over.

Ricketts went more attacking with his next switch as Tyrese Campbell was summoned for Anthony Grant with 15 minutes to find a leveller.

Town had more of the ball but Scunthorpe were as dangerous. Lee Novak glanced a powerful effort on drawing a top stop by Mitchell.

Scunthorpe’s familiar tactics of buying time were back and not helping Shrewsbury’s bid for a vital equaliser.

Salop sparked into life with their pacy forward duo Okenabirhie and Campbell combining but the latter’s heavy touch meant Alnwick claimed and put out another fire.

Ricketts was frantically urging and waving his charges on from the touchline but Town’s touch was lacking all too often.

The Meadow was poised for another big moment late on and it was rewarded with six minutes of regular time to play. The ground erupted as the hosts hauled level.

Whalley was, predictably, the creator. Another sumptuous cross from the right caused havoc and, as it flew just beyond Amadi-Holloway’s lunge, Alnwick was unable to clear and the ball struck Hammill before creeping over the line into the unguarded net.

Bedlam at the Meadow as the stadium erupted with a split of joy and relief. Ricketts barked at his players to collect the ball and go for a winner.

Town kept asking questions and, with added time to come, felt they could grab another. That proved not forthcoming but, in the context of this battle with other sides below them losing, the point felt massive.

Key moments

5 - Town the better side from the off and Greg Docherty tests his Rangers team-mate Jak Alnwick. Good pass from Ollie Norburn and Docherty’s low finish is kept out.

8 - It’s been all Salop but a Scunthorpe free-kick from Tony McMahon causes all sorts of bother and the Iron don’t make it pay as the ball somehow dribbles to Jonathan Mitchell.

22 - Goal Scunthorpe. Not in the script as Kyle Wootton powers home a header from the six yard line after a simple right-sided cross.

25 - James Bolton almost levels for Town straight away but his back post header is inches wide.

31 - Scunny don’t deal with a couple of crosses and Bolton has a scrambled effort blocked before Scott Golbourne’s is also blocked.

67 - Sub Aaron Amadi-Holloway is unmarked but can only send header from Whalley cross down and into the arms of Alnwick.

82 - Sub Tyrese Campbell lashes wide at the near post from a very tight angle with a thumping volley.

84 - GOAL TOWN!!! Huge, huge goal. Whalley’s cross from the right, Amadi-Holloway just misses it, Alnwick misses it, and it hits the unfortunate Adam Hammill and loops into an empty net. Euphoria. Ricketts wants a winner.