Checkatrade Trophy: Shrewsbury Town 1 Manchester City U21s 1 (3-1 pens) - Report and pictures

Town claimed the two points as penalty shootout victors on a largely uneventful and uninspiring evening at the Meadow, where Lee Angol had given Town a second-half lead.

It was the deadline day signing’s second goal in two games after he netted in the 3-2 defeat at Luton.

The competition took Shrewsbury all the way to Wembley last season and Askey, who made eight changes, was hoping it would provide a kick-start for his side this season.

But Nabil Touaizi’s spot-kick, conceded by sub Ryan Haynes, made it seven without a win for the luckless former Macclesfield chief.

Askey’s men did at least have the composure to win a shootout 3-1, despite misses from Fejiri Okenabirhie and Doug Loft.

The Shrews boss had confidence in utilising his squad in the Checkatrade Trophy to provide much-needed minutes for fringe players.

And the Town chief opted for eight changes from the side that lost 3-2 at Luton.

Just James Bolton, Luke Waterfall - who captained the side - and Angol remained in the starting line-up from Kenilworth Road.

Included in the starting XI were back-up keeper Steve Arnold and defenders Kieran Kennedy and Omar Beckles.

Town’s midfield consisted of Loft, Arthur Gnahoau and Ollie Norburn, the latter who came on after his return from injury at Luton.

Wellington-born Ryan Barnett, making his full Salop debut, and Okenabirhie flanked Angol in attack.

City, overseen by one of Askey’s former Macclesfield colleagues Paul Harsley, contained a littering of international youth stars from all over the globe.

Spaniard Adrian Bernabe, left the Nou Camp as one of Barcelona’s top prospects to join City. Forward Nabil Touaizi, who cost more than £300,000 from Valencia, smashed consecutive hat-tricks at the beginning of City’s PL2 campaign this year.

He was flanked by Argentinian youth international Benjamin Garre, a regular of City’s Checkatrade Trophy team last season, in which he scored.

City showed a flash of their expansive, slick style in the opening moments as Welsh youth international Rabbi Matondo skipped beyond Beckles after a fine one-two but Shrewsbury’s returning defender, playing at left-back, recovered well.

Ten minutes flew by as Gnahoua had a shot blocked before the ex-Kidderminster man - who Town have tried to send out on loan - turned creator for Barnett but his close-range finish was denied by keeper Aro Muric.

The hallmark of Pep Guardiola was clearly entwined into this young side’s DNA. At every chance they passed it out calmly from Muric. At times it was to their detriment and Town were pressing hard, with Barnett catching the eye.

A frenetic start in which the visitors were second best calmed and their confidence grew.

The young City midfield, Bernabe and Claudio Gomes in particular, were catching the eye and going forward the elite development squad side were asking Shrews questions.

Barnett, 18, was unquestionably the huge positive from Town’s first half. He hassled City left-back Tyreke Wilson time and time again, turning the sky blue shirt inside out at times,

Loft was playing in a more advanced position with Norburn sitting deep. He sent a testing low cross deflected at Muric before hammering a strike at the side netting.

The tempo slowed right down into a training game-style atmosphere and a vocal Town fan yelled out at the players to show their desire to feature on a Saturday. A ripple of applause greeted his rant.

Okenabirhie had the ball in the net on the stroke of half-time but his crisp finish from Beckles’ head down was flagged offside.

Angol had already headed narrowly wide at the near post before he broke the deadlock six minutes after the re-start.

The striker showed good composure after Waterfall had nodded down a Loft corner to tuck into the corner for his second in two games.

The No.9, signed from Mansfield, grew in confidence and shortly after headed at Muric before Gnahoua drove wide from distance.

Angol’s night was done after the hour as he was withdrawn for Lenell John-Lewis.

The second-half fell into a lull and Askey was left hopping mad in the technical area as his side surrendered possession simply to the young Citizens.

Any early attacking verve Shrewsbury brought into the opening of the second period had died down.

After Loft had flashed another effort wide from distance, record signing from Tranmere Norburn then lifted a cheeky chip after a one-two with Barnett just on to the roof of City’s net.

Harsley’s young City team had run out of steam but through a second wind pressed late on and got their reward as late sub Haynes tripped sub Alpha Diounkou and Touaizi dispatched it.

The spot-kicks saw Salop claim two points but Askey will be left displeased with the late goal that spoiled Town’s clean sheet.

Teams

Shrewsbury Town (4-3-3):

Arnold; Bolton (Haynes, 80), Waterfall ©, Kennedy, Beckles; Lofty, Norburn, Barnett; Gnahoua (Colkett, 85), Angol (John-Lewis, 66), Okenabirhie.

Subs not used: Coleman (gk), Sadler, Gilliead, Laurent.

Manchester City (4-3-3):

Muric; Rosler, Ogbeta, Humphreys (Latibeaudiere, 66), Wilson (Diounkou, 71); Dele-Bashiru, Gomes, Bernabe; Matondo, Touaizi, Garre (Poveda, 66).

Subs not used: Scott, Pozo, Richards, Simmonds.

Referee: Paul Marsden

Attendance: 1,838 (85 City fans)