Shrewsbury Town 2 Bolton 5 - Salop humbled in pre-season defeat
Shrewsbury Town fell to their first defeat of pre-season as they were comfortably beaten by Bolton Wanderers.
Salop had won all four of their games this summer before they welcomed Steven Schumacher's side to the Croud Meadow on Tuesday evening, but that soon changed, as they were thumped 5-2 by the League One side.
Goals from Thierry Gale, Daeshon Lawrence, Josh Dacres-Cogley, Max Conway and an own goal from Sam Stubbs were the difference, while Callum Stewart and Will Gray netted consolations for Salop.
Report
Michael Appleton handed Tom Anderson his first Salop appearance in the clash against Bolton. He lined up in the XI in a back three with George Nurse and Sam Stubbs.
After his goal on Saturday, Town fans also got to see Max Mata from the start - he played up front with George Lloyd.
Toby Savin started in goal with new arrival Elyh Harrison making do with a place on the bench.
Szabolcs Schon and Lawrence had chances to give the visitors the lead early, but both missed gilt-edged chances.
It made very little difference, though, as Bolton went in front in emphatic style in the 19th minute. Gale curled the ball into the top corner from 25 yards.
They doubled that lead not long after when Lawrence turned Anderson, and his effort from distance went into the corner beyond Savin.
Bolton were in complete cruise control in Shropshire, and Joel Randall missed an inexcusable chance just past the half-hour mark. He danced through the Town defence, he could have passed, but he chose to shoot, and his effort, when it was harder to miss, went over the bar.
The third goal in a fairly miserable half for Town came for Steven Schumacher’s men on the stroke of half-time when Dacres-Cogley fired home from a set piece.
Second half
Town made three changes at the break with Stewart, Toto Nsiala and Harrison coming on.
They were forced into a fourth when Lloyd picked up an injury and had to come off - he was replaced by skipper John Marquis.
Town got one back when Stewart nodded home George Nurse’s cross from close range, but Bolton restored their three-goal lead almost instantly when Stubbs turned the ball into his own net.
There were changes galore over the course of the second period as both teams utilised their benches. Harrison was forced into a couple of comfortable saves, which the Salop fans enjoyed.
There was no doubt it was a difficult evening for Shrewsbury, and the scoreline was made worse when Max Conway danced through the Salop defence to add Bolton's fifth of the night.
With the final kick of the game academy product Will Gray, who came on for the final 20 minutes got a second of the evening for Salop.
Teams
Shrewsbury: Savin (Harrison 45), Benning (Hoole 64) , Anderson (Nsiala 45), Stubbs (Cairns 64), Nurse (Morris 64), Loughran (Perry 64), Gilliead (Gray 69), England, Biggins (Clucas 69), Lloyd, Mata (Stewart 45).
Subs: Cairns, Morris, Falding, Lewis, Clucas,, Gray.
Bolton: Sharman-Lowe, Sheehan, Gale, Dacres-Cogley, Toal, Forino, Schon, Simons, Conway, Randall, Lawrence.
Subs: Broome, Johnston, Mendes Gomes, Osei-Tutu, Morley, Cozier-Duberry, Sharples-Ahmed, Rice, Inwood, Abimbola, McAtee.
