Shrewsbury Town 0 Sunderland 2 - Report and pictures

John Askey’s men were undone on home soil in front of just over 9,000 supporters at an exuberant Meadow, where Omar Beckles’ own goal just before the hour edged the high-profile visitors ahead in an even clash.

The home side had edged a first half of few chances and come closest to scoring as Shaun Whalley’s free-kick looped on to the angle of post and crossbar.

Town deserved plaudits for their first half display but fell off the pace in the second period as Jack Ross' Sunderland upped the ante. Sub Luke O’Nien netted within 120 seconds of coming on with six minutes to play to kill the game as a contest.

It was back-to-back league defeats for the first time since the opening two weekends of the season for Salop, leaving them one place worse off, 18th in League One.

Town remained winless against Sunderland, with the latest meeting - a first in 29 years - taking the record to no victories in 10.

After falling behind on the hour Shrews were unable to create little of note to draw level. Askey, who had reverted to 4-3-3 for the headline clash, changed to 3-5-2 after the visitors' opener but still Town had no answers.

The challenge to find their feet in the League One gets no easier as another relegated Championship side, Barnsley, head to Shropshire on Tuesday.

It was the DM Recruitment Stand, which housed the rampant Sunderland fans, making all the noise on full-time.

Analysis

The game didn’t need any more of a billing. Tickets sold like hot cakes with the Sunderland fans gobbling up their 1,600 allocation in no time.

But the fixture had also captured the imagination of Town fans. Only just over 5,000 home fans saw the previous home game, a 1-0 win over Accrington Stanley, but over 2,000 fans packed into the home stands for the visit of the high-profile Black Cats.

Just over 9,000 crammed into the Meadow to see Salop up against the side that were in the Premier League just two seasons ago. Nine fans fewer than in last season’s play-off semi-final against Charlton.

It was the first time the clubs had met in the league in almost three decades. Town’s trip to Roker Park in April 1989 came just weeks before relegation back to the third tier after almost a decade in Division 2 was confirmed.

Town players would do their best to avoid the club record against Sunderland. It read nine games and no wins, with seven defeats, ahead of Saturday.

Ross, appointed in the summer from St Mirren in Scotland, had done a fine early job of galvanising a disorientated club their back-to-back relegations.

They began the day in fifth having only lost once in 12 League One games.

But Ross’ side had only kept one clean sheet in that time, which provided Askey’s side optimism ahead of the headline clash.

Town fans were delighted to see the return of a familiar 4-3-3 system as Askey brought top scorer Lee Angol and influential midfielder Greg Docherty - who was linked with a Sunderland loan from Rangers in the summer - back into his starting line-up.

Three changes in total from Askey as Docherty, Angol and Anthony Grant, back from illness, were in for Fejiri Okenabirhie, Lenell John-Lewis and Ollie Norburn, who had missed training in the week with illness.

Sunderland supporters helped build a good atmosphere ahead of kick-off in what was comfortably Town’s biggest home gate of the season so far.

The players could hardly ask for a more crackling feel inside the Meadow. Beckles said in the week the game could have a cup feel to it and the boosted attendance certainly gave it that.

Sunderland signalled their intent from the off. A succession of three or fours set-pieces were reasonably well defending from the hosts.

And after riding a storm inside the first few minutes it was all Askey’s men. The home side were relentless with and without the ball and really got the buoyant home crowd going.

Town were knitting play together in lovely little moves. Docherty was at the heart of things as a couple of his trademark lung-busting bursts got the crowd going further still.

Shrews were forcing opportunities. Beckles, who was also having a lot of joy down the left, nodded over from a corner while Luke Waterfall headed the next corner at Jon McLaughlin.

Askey’s side were running themselves into the ground harrying and harassing the visiting white and red shirts, who were afforded no time, and the Salop crowd were responding.

There were signs that the Black Cats were struggling to live with Shrews as long-serving skipper Lee Cattermole was booked early for chopping down Beckles.

Sunderland survived Town’s intense 15 minutes of pressure and the sides continued to do battle in the central thirds. There was no question the hosts help the upper hand.

They almost had something to show for it but Shaun Whalley’s free-kick bounced and looped agonizingly on to the angle of post and bar. Skipper Mat Sadler was very relieved to see the offside flag go up after he blazed the rebound over.

Askey’s men were rightly clapped off the park at the break as they held the upper hand against the Black Cats.

Town emerged from the break knowing now was as good a time as ever to earn the club a first ever victory over Sunderland.

It said everything about Ross’ thoughts on the match as he hauled off top scorer Maja not even 10 minutes into the second period, with the returning Lynden Gooch his replacement.

That was followed imminently by the arrival of George Honeyman for the ineffective Ireland international star Aiden McGeady.

The changes worked a treat as, two minutes before the hour, the Black Cats edged ahead.

A short corner was worked well to sub Gooch on the right. He whipped in a low ball that Beckles should have cleared with a routine left-footed clearance. But the Town left-back couldn’t adjust his feet and sent a shanked right-footed connection across Coleman into the corner.

It was cruel on Askey’s men who did not deserve that kind of poor fortune.

For the first time it was the away end making noise but Salop fans responded and stayed behind their side.

Town needed something to trigger a spark in the second period that had been missing since the re-start.

Beckles came close to atoning for his own-goal with a header at the right end of the pitch but it flew wide.

Askey rolled the dice with 20 minutes left as he sent for Aaron Amadi-Holloway and Ryan Haynes in place of Laurent and Gilliead.

The boss shuffled his system and ordered Salop into a 3-5-2 with Haynes and Josh Emmanuel wing-backs. Amadi-Holloway partnered Angol, who had not been in the game, in attack.

But Town were struggling to find the inspiration to create a clear opening as the minutes counted down. They weren’t helped by Whalley limping off to be replaced by Norburn with 15 minutes left.

Amadi-Holloway nodded wide and then thrashed one wide but Town could not take advantage of a couple of decent positions.

Sunderland’s quality in the final third made them pay. Sub O’Nien had been on barely two minutes before he got past Waterfall and hammered a low finish it beyond Coleman to the elation of the boisterous away end.

Askey’s men were made to pay for not making the most of their decent moments while on top in an encouraging first half, but the Black Cats clinicalness shone through.

Key moments

8 - Omar Beckles heads over the top after a short Shrewsbury corner when he could’ve possibly done better.

15 - Luke Waterfall this time with the header from Shaun Whalley’s delivery. But it’s a difficult effort and straight into the arms of Jon McLaughlin.

28 - Jerome Sinclair runs at Mat Sadler. The former West Brom youngster is forced wide and his effort is tame and low at Joel Coleman.

32 - Chance Sunderland skipper Lee Cattermole. Connects to a fine Jerome Sinclair cross but volleys over left-footed on the stretch.

35 - Town hit the woodwork! Whalley’s left-sided free-kick takes a wicked bounce, is missed by Luke Waterfall and floats agonizingly up on to the top left angle with McLaughlin beaten.

Mat Sadler helps the rebound over from six yards out but, fortunately, had been flagged offside.

52 - Experienced Ireland international Aiden McGeady curls harmlessly at Coleman after Sunderland tried to work a promising short free-kick.

53 - Whalley curls one wide with his left foot from distance.

58 - Goal Sunderland. Lynden Gooch crosses in after a short corner and Beckles shanks a clearance across Coleman into his own net. Cruel.

62 - Good save Coleman to deny Chris Maguire’s rocket shot as the visitors step it up.

65 - Beckles is determined to atone for his own-goal and he sends a powerful header wide from Whalley’s corner.

78 - Decent opening for Maguire at the back post from a lively cross but he can’t adjust to turn in.

80 - Sub Aaron Amadi-Holloway nods narrowly wide from fellow sub Ollie Norburn’s drifted cross.

81 - Amadi-Holloway latches on to one on right side of the box and hammers a half-volley wide at the near post. Decent chance.

84 - Goal Sunderland. Sub Luke O’Nien, on for barely two minutes, got beyond Waterfall and hammered in a crisp low finish beyond Coleman.

Teams

Shrewsbury Town (4-3-3):

Coleman; Emmanuel, Waterfall, Sadler ©, Beckles; Grant, Docherty, Laurent (Amadi-Holloway, 69); Whalley (Norburn, 77), Angol, Gilliead (Haynes, 69).

Subs not used: Arnold (gk), Bolton, Barnett, Okenabirhie.

Sunderland (4-4-2):

McLaughlin; Matthews, Baldwin, Flanagan, James; Maguire, Cattermole ©, McGeouch, McGeady (Honeyman, 57); Sinclair (O’Nien, 82), Maja (Gooch, 54).

Subs not used: Ruiter (gk), Ozturk, Mumba, Kimpioka.

Referee: John Busby

Attendance: 9,007 (1,640 Sunderland fans)

Man of the match - Mat Sadler. Marshalled his troops well for the most.

Position in the table - 18th (12 points from 14 games)