Tranmere 4 Shrewsbury 0: Salop shocker as ten men suffer heavy defeat

Salop were breached twice in the first half, and then again twice in the second, with Will Boyle also being sent off in what was a thoroughly miserable afternoon in Merseyside as they lost 4-0. 

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Shrewsbury head coach Michael Appleton named an unchanged team for Salop’s first trip to Prenton Park since 2019. 

The talk before the game, much like it was before their League Two opener against Bromley, was about whether loanee Elyh Harrison would make his debut. 

He has been dealing with a foot injury, but once more he was ruled out of the XI - Toby Savin was in between the posts. 

First half 

Tranmere had finished 20th in the fourth tier last season, but they started the brighter on a mild afternoon in Merseyside. 

Josh Davison’s early chance went narrowly wide of Savin’s post, and that was followed by an effort from distance from Charlie Whitaker - that went just over the bar. 

Just before the 20-minute mark, the home side took the lead. Omari Patrick had seen Tranmere get in down the left, and his cross was swept into the net by Taylan Harris. 

Four minutes later, that lead was doubled when Davison’s shot from the edge of the box crept into the far corner. 

Things could have got even worse for Town when Patrick’s effort from distance was tipped onto the post by the sprawling Savin. 

After a steady opening day for Shrews, it was a disastrous first 45 minutes for Appleton’s side, who gave themselves a mountain to climb. 

Second half

The Shrews head coach was clearly unhappy with what he had seen, and he made a triple substitution at the break. Taylor Perry, Tom Sang, and George Lloyd all coming into the action. 

Perry made an instant impact. Within minutes of his introduction, he had a left-footed effort tipped over the bar by Luke McGee. The first thing the keeper had to do all afternoon. 

Not long after, he saw another effort fly over the bar, and Will Boyle headed just over the bar too. 

But just when it looked like Town were getting back into the game, Boyle picked up two yellow cards in the space of 60 seconds and was given his marching orders by referee Connor Higgins. 

With 17 minutes left, Salop trailed by three when Patrick curled the ball into the top corner from distance, and the travelling Shrews fans headed for the exits.  

It got worse for Town in the dying moments as Kristian Dennis fired home from close range.  

TEAMS: 

Tranmere: McGee, Norman, Brough, Smith, Smallwood (Lowe 78), Whitaker (Turnbull 69), Davison (Dennis 63), Patrick, O’Connor, Harris (Jennings 63), Kenneh (Blacker 78).

Subs: Murphy, Solomon. 

Shrewsbury: Savin, Hoole, Stubbs, Anderson, Boyle, Nurse, Clucas (Stewart 79), Biggins (Perry 45), Gilliead (Sang 45), Marquis, Scully (Lloyd 45). 

Subs: Nsiala, Benning, England.