Checkatrade Trophy: Scunthorpe 2 Shrewsbury 0 - Report and pictures

Defeat at Scunthorpe, coupled with Cambridge United's 2-1 win over Middlesbrough's under-23s means Micky Mellon's team are already destined to exit the revamped competition at the group stages, with next month's trip to the Riverside Stadium now a dead rubber.

An own goal from Olly Lancashire after just eight minutes and a second half strike from Jonny Margetts condemned Town to defeat at Glanford Park, in a game where their habit of conceding early left them with an uphill battle League One leaders.

Yet just as frustrating for under-pressure boss Mellon will have been his team's inability to take their chances. Antoni Sarcevic was guilty of squandering a glorious chance to bring his team level in the opening half, while Town twice had the ball in the net only to be denied by a linesman's flag.

There was no shortage of effort in the performance but ultimately the home team's extra quality was the difference.

Shrewsbury, beaten 1-0 by League Two Cambridge in their opening group game, needed a positive result and boss Mellon resisted the temptation to overhaul his team, making just three changes from the XI which drew 1-1 with Swindon last weekend.

One of those was enforced, with Ryan McGivern currently away on international duty. Jayson Leutwiler dropped to the bench, while Louis Dodds did not feature in the 17-strong squad, with keeper Mark Halstead, Moha Choulay and Sarcevic all coming into the starting XI.

The opening seconds set the pattern of an entertaining first-half, with Toney firing straight at home keeper James Anyon inside the opening 30 seconds and Scunthorpe's Kevin van Veen then repeating the trick, almost immediately, at the other end.

Early goals have been a constant source of frustration for Mellon and the Town boss will have been furious at how easily his team was carved open as the hosts took the lead on eight minutes, even if it was down to a big stroke of misfortune.

Townsend cut in from the left and his drive across the face of goal was deflected into the roof of the net off the unlucky Lancashire.

Shrewsbury twice came within a whisker of a quick reply. First, Toney saw a 20-yard free-kick bounce off the outside of a post with Anyon rooted to the spot.

Set-pieces continued to cause problems for the hosts throughout and moments later, Olly Lancashire hooked wide from no more than three yards out after Scunthorpe failed to deal with a dipping James O'Brien free-kick.

It was the home side who were the next to threaten, van Veen coming within inches of extending the lead when his shot from the edge of the box was deflected just past the post. A vital interception from Ian Black then denied the striker after a Paddy Madden cross looked set to fall right into his path at the far post. Skipper Adam Al-Abd was the next man to be in the right place at the right time when he cleared in front of Sam Mantom, before van Veen headed over at the near post having lost his marker.

There was a sense Scunthorpe were turning the screw but Town almost delivered a sucker punch when Anyon got into a mess while trying to deal with an O'Brien cross. The ball fell perfectly for Sarcevic ten yards out, only for him to balloon the chance over the bar.

It was a dreadful miss almost punished immediately when Madden broke through at the other end but Halstead saved with his legs before Jack Grimmer hacked clear with the ball threatening to spin over the line.

Chances continued to arrive with regularity at both ends before the break. Toney fired wide from an O'Brien free-kick and saw another effort deflected into the arms of Anyon, while van Veen again went close when he volleyed wide with the last kick of the half.

Town thought they had an equaliser inside the first five minutes of the second half when Sarcevic stabbed home at the far post, only to be denied by an offside flag. Halstead was then ensure the deficit remained at one when he pulled off a smart stop to deny Margetts at the near post, after the substitute had been allowed space to shoot.

Margetts was not to be denied however, finally doubling Scunthorpe's lead just prior to the hour mark when he stooped to head home a Sutton cross at the far post.

That looked to have ended the game as a contest and van Veen squandered a great chance to make sure of the victory when he scuffed wide having gone clean through on goal.

Town had been struggling to make an impression but almost pulled a goal back when Toney forced Anyon to tip over a free-kick. Scunthorpe failed to clear the resulting corner and substitute Andy Mangan turned home, only for the visitors to again be denied by a raised flag.

O'Brien and Toney were both denied by Anyon as Town dominated the closing stages but the consolation their efforts at least deserved remained elusive.

Scunthorpe (4-4-2): Anyon, Sutton Wallace, Goode, Townsend, van Veen, Dawson © (Adelakun HT), Mantom, Ness, Hopper (Margetts 24), Madden Subs not used: Wiseman, Mirfin, Holmes, Sithole, Kelsey (gk).

Shrewsbury (4-3-3); Halstead, Grimmer, Lancashire, El-Abd (c), Brown, Sarcevic (Waring 62), Deegan, Black, Choulay (Mangan HT), Toney (Leitch-Smith 88), O'Brien Subs not used: Sadler, Roberts, Leutwiler (gk).