Shrewsbury Town 0 Burton Albion 0 - Report and pictures

The hosts found no way through against a disciplined Brewers backline and Shrewsbury’s defence stood firm for a third home clean sheet in three league games.

Neither side dominated and, like last week against visitors Rochdale, a point each was a fair result.

Boss Sam Ricketts will be frustrated his team were unable to build on the dramatic away victory at Accrington Stanley in midweek, but it meant Town had been beaten just once in their opening five league games.

Lucas Akins headed a corner wide in the best chance for Burton while skipper Dave Edwards shot over for Town in the second half, but genuine clear-cut chances on goal were few and far between for both.

Town were hoping to ride the wave of optimism they created in the final quarter of an hour at Accrington on Tuesday night.

Glumness surrounded the open terrace as Ricketts’ men looked like extending their winless run and drought in front of goal.

But an own goal stated the magical fightback, capped by substitute forwards Fejiri Okenabirhie and Daniel Udoh.

The goals were not enough to earn either a start against the Brewers. Steve Morison and Shaun Whalley, who came off for the duo in Lancashire, continued up front.

There were two changes for Ricketts’ men. One enforced as new signing Sean Goss, who has been so influential since his recent arrival, was missing with a knock and replaced by Brad Walker - the January signing who made his full league debut.

There was the much-welcome sight of Josh Laurent in the Town midfield. He had been plagued with a succession of muscle injuries over the summer but was fit to start in place of Luke McCormick.

The Brewers arrived at the Meadow in ninth, one place behind Shrewsbury, after two wins and two defeats to start the season.

They themselves made two changes from a thrilling midweek win at Oxford, with Oliver Sarkic and John Joe O’Toole in Nigel Clough’s side, who had previously won all three of their away games this term.

There was good noise inside the sun-drenched stadium at 3pm. An early dart down the left flank from Morison inside 13 seconds raised the decibel levels further.

Town looked sharper in the tackle than they did seven days prior at home to Rochdale. The crowd responded to a bright start as Town won battled all over the pitch.

Laurent momentarily lit up his return to the side with a classy body swerve to throw his marker before a lovely pass with the outside of his right foot set Morison off on another charge down the right.

Aaron Pierre showed the classy ability Shrewsbury fans have become used to with a delightful touch in Burton’s box from an ambitious Walker pass. It led to little but further impressed supporters.

Walker’s use of the ball was assured early on.

A rather agricultural piece of play from Donald Love in the form of a massive hoofed clearance - think Omar Beckles at Accrington a few nights ago - sparked another exciting forray forward that ended in Laurent not connecting with a spectacular volley.

Ryan Giles scared his opposing right-back John Brayford as he stretched his legs to the byline and a precision prepared near-post cross was inches away from Morison’s run. Skipper Edwards, making his 150th Town appearance, pressed well in a bid to set the tone.

Burton worked their way into the contest after 15 minutes as Oliver Sarkic headed at Max O’Leary, Pierre defended diligently to clear a cross and Scott Fraser - hat-trick hero against Oxford for the Brewers - shot tamely at O’Leary as Pierre got back to cover well.

Whalley robbed visiting skipper Jake Buxton on the halfway line and had an entire half of empty grass to charge into. He was offered little support to his left as Burton defenders regrouped.

Town’s No.7 was forced on to his left foot inside the box and fell under pressure. Whalley was booked for diving in the previous home game against Rochdale and again nothing was doing as referee Lee Swabey waved play on.

The snappy start had petered out by the 30 minute mark. Town fell badly off and passes went astray, touches began bouncing away from their supposed target and players looked leggy.

Morison was, on more than one occasion, caught napping on his heels and unable to gather the ball or get up with play.

Town weren’t alone and Burton were at times just as slack. But the Brewers took the upper hand by forcing a succession of corners that forced Town to defend well. Burton were limited to very few attempts on goal and O’Leary claimed most of their crosses..

Ricketts looked displeased with the ease in which his side were surrendering the ball and inviting pressure.

Giles was so often an outball on the left touchline each time Shrewsbury did cross the halfway line, but the Telford-born flyer’s runs had become predictable with Brayford gaining the upper hand.

A low Laurent shot from distance was easy for on-loan Manchester United keeper Kieran O’Hara to gather before the break at the end of a fairly even first period lacking in excitement.

The first period might have finished sleepily but the second half could barely have got off to a more lively start. It was a strange first 30 seconds too, as the half-time music continued to play over the match action.

Perhaps the tune was what put Pierre off. As an uncharacteristic error let Fraser into the box, the ball squirmed to Ryan Edwards whose shot inside the box was well saved by a strong out-stretched O’Leary palm.

Town were not perturbed and broke. Love flew into the box and the ball was cut back to Edwards, whose decent hit was blocked by Whalley.

Shortly after Whalley, having been put through down the right by Morison, crossed well and Laurent helped the ball on to Edwards, some 10 yards out, but the captain could only fire well over left footed as his search for that first goal since his return continued.

Laurent showed more of his ability by dribbling out of a hole on the left flank and charging through midfield before a lovely through ball released Whalley on goal. Town’s attacker finished well but had long since been flagged offside.

Ricketts wasted little time in looking to his bench after the break. He sent Okenabirhie on for Morison seven minutes after the re-start.

Okenabirhie was busy, as was the ever-willing Whalley. But the quality to force meaningful openings on goal were few and far between.

Brewers defender Brayford lost his footing in the box before, after a nice flick from Whalley, Laurent shot well over from outside the bounce on the spin.

Shrewsbury still struggled in transition. On one occasion Edwards received the ball in his own half and only had one option ahead of him as eight or nine team-mates sat deeper than the captain.

The best chance of an even second half came at the midpoint. Big forward Akins headed a corner narrowly wide as Town escaped some slack marking.

Ricketts sent new loan midfielder Louis Thompson on for the tiring Laurent, who had cramped up, just before Udoh entered to make his Meadow debut, replacing Whalley.

Both new boys had an impact. Combining with Okenabirhie as Town asked questions going forward. The Burton defence stood firm, while a barnstorming Thompson run ended with him just over-cooking a pass for Love.

Thompson further endeared himself to his new fans with a powerful run back to cover his team-mates defensively.

Chances were not clear-cut despite no lack of encouragement from the home crowd. Ricketts waved his side on to up the tempo and Town forced a couple of corners. Ethan Ebanks-Landell connected but could not guide them on target.

Burton probably had the better of the closing stages as the hosts looked tired but created no clear opening as Shrews stood firm and their impressive home defensive record continued, but the goals are still running dry.

Teams:

Shrewsbury Town (3-5-2):

O’Leary; Beckles, Ebanks-Landell, Pierre; Love, Edwards ©, Walker, Laurent (Thompson, 72), Giles; Whalley (Udoh, 74), Morison (Okenabirhie, 52).

Subs not used: Murphy (gk), Golbourne, Rowland, McCormick.

Burton Albion (4-2-3-1):

O’Hara; Brayford, Buxton ©, O’Toole (Nartey, 82), Daniel; Quinn (Boyce, 63), Wallace, Edwards; Sarkic (Sbarra, 76), Fraser, Akins.

Subs not used: Bywater (gk), Templeton, Hutchinson, Anderson.

Referee: Lee Swabey

Attendance: 5,553 (420 Burton fans)