Shrewsbury Town 0 Fleetwood 0 - Report and pictures

[gallery] Shrewsbury Town made the hat for Monday's FA Cup third round draw but will face a replay at Fleetwood after a second consecutive goalless draw, writes Lewis Cox at Greenhous Meadow.

Analysis

Paul Hurst's side face a third clash with Fleetwood in a few weeks with the Cod Army in an as yet unscheduled replay, while the teams then meet for a fourth time in League One on January 2.

Town were the better side and much improved on a 3-0 defeat in Lancashire two weeks ago. They followed last week's stalemate against Port Vale with another goalless draw here. A fifth clean sheet in eight games under Hurst.

Salop have only made the third round on three occasions since the turn of the millennium but will face a chance to better that stat.

After a dull first-half they perked up and found the woodwork three times in an unfortunate second period where they deserved a winner.

While Hurst stuck with the same conventional 4-4-2 system that was adopted against Port Vale last weekend - a formation the boss prefers - Shrewsbury shuffled their pack.

AJ Leitch-Smith, who picked up a knee injury against Vale, missed out for Jim O'Brien while Jack Grimmer found himself on the bench with a second start of the season for youngster Dom Smith.

A lower crowd, as in keeping with early rounds of the competition, were not helped by the Cup tie's sleepy start.

Neither teams got going in the final third despite some attractive football in midfield, Town were attractive in trying to force the issue down their flanks and a couple of decent centres from makeshift full-backs Smith and Junior Brown had the visitors living dangerously.

A sluggish encounter played in a sleepy atmosphere was only rarely woken by the home fans' disgruntlement towards referee Trevor Kettle.

The official's reputation follows him in these parts and he did little early on to help his popularity in Shropshire.

A couple of loose backpasses concerning Jayson Leutwiler also kept the crowd on their toes but the recently-capped Canadian gloveman dealt with the ball on the deck largely well.

All too often, following decent build-up play, Town would let themselves down with a final ball. On the occasions they did get an effort away, Louis Dodds' well-struck volley was blocked by Nathan Pond and Ryan McGivern drilled just wide after an Ian Black free-kick was cleared.

At the other end, Cod Army skipper Pond sent a towering header towards Leutwiler's goal but the shot-stopper got down well to palm the chance to safety.

After Hurst left the lofty views of the Shrewsbury Town press box on half-time to take his place in the dugout for the second-half he was left questioning his luck.

For his side were let out of the traps at some tempo but somehow failed to break the deadlock.

Hurst was left bewildered as Town found the woodwork twice inside a minute. First, and almost unbelievably, Dodds was put through on goal only to slide a finish onto the inside of the post and see it roll agonizingly across Alex Cairns' goal line.

Moments later Brown prodded a close-range finish onto the upright leaving supporters almost sure it wasn't their day.

But Hurst's side struggled to build on their initiative and the better atmosphere generated inside a crowd of under 3,000 at the Meadow.

'Paul Hurst's Barmy Army' was given a passionate rendition but his charges let their foot slip off the gas as the second period meandered on.

Things got edgy late on as both sides looked to avoid an unwanted replay and Town couldn't buy themselves a slice of luck as Toney hit the woodwork for a third time with a 30 yard free-kick.

Moments later Grant almost won it for the visitors but his piledriver whistled agonizingly wide.

As it happened...

9 - Louis Dodds' left-sided cross is floated in for Ivan Toney but the forward cannot get enough power on his header.

16 - Good link play between Dom Smith and Jim O'Brien on the right, the latter's cross picks out Dodds whose fierce volley is bravely blocked by Nathan Pond.

26 - Ex-Town loanee Bobby Grant sends a bicycle kick over the top after a mighty goalmouth scramble.

28 - Grant is in the mood and lets fly with a dipping 20-yard volley that flies over.

32 - The closest either side have come as Pond climbs high to meet Kyle Dempsey's free-kick but sees his downward header well palmed away by Jayson Leutwiler.

45 - Ian Black's free-kick smashes the wall but Ryan McGivern follows up from 25 yards and his effort, with his weaker right foot, flies inches wide. The assistant referee had already lifted his flag for an infringement.

48 - Fleetwood top scorer David Ball has a go from distance but curls into Leutwiler's grasp.

49 - How's your luck?! Dodds profits from a defensive slip and is in the Fleetwood box on goal. Places a finish towards the bottom corner but it hits inside of the box and rolls across the goal line - unbelievable.

50 - Salop find the woodwork twice inside a minute. Smith's cross finds Junior Brown and the left winger manages to prod an effort goalwards but it strikes the upright.

62 - Fine move as Toney slips in O'Brien down right side, his pull-back finds Dodds well but the strike is blocked.

84 - The hosts hit the woodwork for a third time as Toney's 30 yard free-kick clips Cairns crossbar on the way over.

87 - Grant lights up the Meadow on his return. A piledriving left-footed strike whistles inches wide of Leutwiler's top corner with the keeper stationary.