Scunthorpe 0 Shrewsbury Town 1 - Report and pictures

[gallery]Shrewsbury handed high-fliers Scunthorpe a first home league defeat since December 2015 with a superb 1-0 success to go unbeaten in six, writes Lewis Cox at Glanford Park.

Could you believe it? The Paul Hurst revolution continues as Salop put in their display of the season to down the much-fancied Iron on their home turf.

Dancing Freddie Ladapo was again the hero, netting in front of the travelling fans midway through a painstakingly tense second-half.

If there was anyone questioning Hurst's side's credentials. Ending Scunthorpe's long unbeaten run put paid to them.

"Paul Hurst's Barmy Army" rang out long after the final whistle as marvellous turnaround continued.

It was just a second league win on the road under Hurst

Analysis

Shrewsbury faced a mammoth task against the high-fliers, who are breathing down the necks of Sheffield United at the top.

The Iron went into the clash 26 league games unbeaten at home. They last tasted defeat on home turf at home to the Blades in December 2015.

But there was fear among the home ranks that Shrewsbury were ready to cause an upset, five unbeaten themselves - Hurst's charges were looking to get at a defence that hadn't kept a clean sheet since Boxing Day.

There was no place in Salop's match day squad for Jack Grimmer and Dom Smith, or for Olly Lancashire, who hadn't even travelled.

Stephen Humphrys missed the Lincolnshire trip with illness, one of two of Town's loanees unavailable, with Stefan Payne's metatarsal injury sidelining him.

AJ Leitch-Smith made a long-awaited return to the bench, the forward hadn't featured since the November clash with Port Vale.

Awful conditions did nothing to help proceedings. The pitch was feeling the treacherous conditions and made it difficult to keep the ball on the deck.

The hosts took little time to settle into the rhythm that had them second in League One.

An early aerial effort had Jayson Leutwiler scrambling while Neal Bishop went just wide.

As time went on conditions worsened, particularly on the flanks, where Alex Rodman, Shaun Whalley and Tyler Roberts were worrying the hosts.

Rodman jinked inside and saw his goalbound strike blocked, while Whalley set off on a trademark burst down the pitch, halted unceremoniously with a foul.

A Joe Riley rocket from more than 30 yards out had former Salop man Luke Daniels scrambling, but it flew inches wide.

Shrewsbury looked athletic to a man and every bit matched their high-flying hosts stride for stride.

Roberts was a little fortunate to escape trouble as he went looking for a penalty, falling to the desk under no contact.

If the task was to frustrate the home crowd then they were achieving that. The goalless half-time whistle brought more murmurs of discontent from those of an Iron persuasion. Home fans were still smarting that Toto Nsiala had only been shown a yellow card for a heavy challenge, where he won the ball.

Ten minutes into the second period and the home crowd found their voices, only to groan at their 11 even further. Town were creating all the openings and should have had a spot kick eight minutes into the half.

Riley picked the ball up on halfway, exchanged passes with Roberts before powering between two and bursting into the box.

His run was halted with a shove sending him to the deck but referee Brett Huxtable waved things away. It looked a stone wall spot-kick.

The introduction of Ivan Toney was Graham Alexander's next roll of the dice to stop the almost one-way traffic.

It was fellow new introduction Paddy Madden that helped begin to turn the tide, winning the hosts three consecutive corners as skipper Stephen Dawson tested Leutwiler with a low deflected strike.

It wasn't totally Scunthorpe though, as Junior Brown almost supplied the finishing touch to a fine move, but his cross-shot was thwarted by Daniels.

Town's away end were rewarded midway through the second period, and what a moment it was too.

Ladapo has said earlier in the week he enjoys planning against Scunthorpe.

A superb first touch on the halfway line beat his man, before a no-look pass out to find his partner Roberts on the left wing. Roberts attacked the Iron defence, beating Sutton before turning David Mirfin inside out on the byline.

The Albion loanee got his head up, cut it back to partner Ladapo who'd made the yards and expertly tucked it into the corner.

The fans were right behind it and loved every second, bounding down the aisles to dance with their new cult hero.

The Iron weren't keen to lose their home record and were inches away from an instant leveller. Skipper Dawson's effort was deflection and looped inches wide.

Town still tried to make it safe. Ladapo shot high and wide after solo run while Whalley's first-time volley whistled inches over the angle.

19-goal top scorer Josh Morris tries to grab it by the scruff of neck but can only whistle over from 30 yards.

To their credit the hosts turned the screw and Salop were indebted to some fantastic, solid, organised defending but most of all their goalkeeper.

Leutwiler pulled off one of the saves of the season from sub Craig Davies. The big striker rose on the six yard line and powered a header but Leutwiler's impeccable reactions put a right arm out to somehow deny the striker.

Morris' goalbound shot was then blocked before Madden profited on an Ogogo slip but only found the side netting with Glanford Park celebrating.

Despite five minutes of added time, Scunny had nothing left to give, and Hurst's remarkable story goes on.

Key moments

6 - Good effort Neal Bishop. Meets a Duane Holmes corner and hooks just wide from the penalty spot.

8 - Dangerman Josh Morris' right-sided free-kick is fiercely whipped in, Jayson Leutwiler looks to be beaten by a number of bodies but does enough to keep the goalbound effort out.

22 - Tyler Roberts lucky to avoid booking as goes down looking for penalty - no contact.

30 - Nice touch and turn from Dutch forward Kevin Van Veen but he shoots wide at the near post.

32 - Almost a Joe Riley spectacular. Finds some space more than 30 yards out and lashes an effort just wide.

54 - Joe Riley wants a pen! Bursts through and is flattened, nothing doing.

63 - Brown fires at Luke Daniels after fine move down left.

69 - SALOP GOAL - What a moment!!! Ladapo finds Roberts, Roberts bursts down to beat his man, lovely turn on byline - incredible finish Ladapo and he's dancing!!

71 - Duane Holmes' deflected effort drops just wide.

75 - Ogogo! Bursts through with superb energy but is unable to finish beyond Daniels.

79 - Ladapo shoots high and wide.

83 - Morris fires over with good strike from 30 yards.

86 - Whalley whistles volley over angle.

87 - What a save!!! Leutwiler somehow uses a big arm to keep out powerful Craig Davies header