Shrewsbury 1 Coventry 0 - Report and pictures

The winner came less than five minutes into the second period of a festive encounter that Shrewsbury deserved to win.

The hosts were on top in an otherwise forgettable first half in which Luke Waterfall twice had efforts cleared off the line.

But Ricketts’ first League One win was sealed at his third attempts after a defeat at Burton and draw against Peterborough.

It came against the side he called time his impressive 15-year playing with and headed into coaching and management.

Town were not at their attacking best but some superb, energetic, defensive displays got them over the line against a poor visiting Coventry side in front of an almost packed out Meadow of more than 8,000 fans.

Analysis

Omar Beckles was left out of the Town 18 allowing former Sky Blue academy graduate Ryan Haynes a rare league start.

Haynes, who was signed up to the Coventry youth set-up as a schoolboy, has not started for Town in the league since the fateful day at Oxford on October 27.

On a day of the former players, familiar faces in Junior Brown and Abu Ogogo lined up against the club they served so well.

Both Brown and Ogogo were signed by Micky Mellon in the summer of 2015 and made

232 Town appearances between them (Ogogo 124 and Brown 108).

Both left for the Ricoh on free transfers in the summer after almost helping steer Salop to the Championship.

There was a real split in boos and applause for the returning duo.

It was something of a surprise to see former Shrews loan favourite Jack Grimmer only make the bench for City.

Haynes was brought in as a direct replacement for Brown but has been unable to make left-back his own and lost out to Beckles.

Ricketts was gunning for his first three-point haul as Town chief against the side he called time his playing career with just over two years ago.

The visitors were amid a woeful run of form, winless in eight games in all competitions after boss Mark Robins - celebrating his birthday - won October manager of the month.

Town’s final home game before Christmas was well attended and, with the addition of a sold out 1,600 away allocation, the fixture had a big-game atmosphere to greet it.

Shrewsbury began on the front foot and were the brighter of the two sides. Town forced a couple of corners and had the Sky Blues - playing all in white - pegged back as they searched for a foothold.

The hosts’ only scare was a short Waterfall backpass early on but were inches away from a breakthrough at the other end.

Okenabirhie, hunting for that outright Salop goal record, had a looped cross pawed out by Lee Burge and Aaron Amadi-Holloway could only find the side netting under pressure from Brown.

A watchable game was being controlled by Shrews without creating much in the way of clear cut openings. Haynes was a menace with his pace and trickery down the left.

Anthony Grant and Waterfall had decent strikes blocked by the midway point of the half by which time the Meadow rose in applause for former supporter Josh Woodman, who passed away in the week.

The game began to peter out with Town struggling for a decisive touch but were inches away after half hour as Waterfall’s deep header looped over Burge but was cleared off the line again, this time by skipper Liam Kelly.

Josh Laurent looked to inject a of imagination into the home side, after a good ball from James Bolton, the midfield checked inside and sent his shot over the bar.

Games hinge on fine margins and, in the space of a minute or so, Steve Arnold kept his side level before Amadi-Holloway broke the deadlock.

Uncharacteristic lapses between Mat Sadler and Ollie Norburn allowed Luke Thomas a close-range effort on goal, albeit from a narrow angle, and Arnold saved well.

Seconds later Brown gave away a free-kick 30 yards out slightly right and Docherty’s inch-perfect delivery was thumped home by Town’s powerful no.20.

Amadi-Holloway’s header, his third goal for the club, was unstoppable and gave Burge no chance. Docherty’s delicious set-piece was begging for a killer touch.

To add more joy to Town’s opener, Ogogo was soon after hauled off by Robins, meaning his forgettable Salop return lasted just 57 minutes.

Ricketts’ men were worthy of their lead and looking dangerous but the deficit rallied the visitors.

The packed away end thought they were back in the game on 65 minutes but their celebrations were cut short by the assistant’s flag as Jonson Clarke-Harris’ tap in from Chaplin’s low strike was ruled out.

It served as a reminder that City were still sniffing a point.

Salop rose to the increase in pressure with Sadler and the superb Grant - among others - marshalling the backline and making blocks.

Haynes was applauded off by both sets of supporters as he came off for Josh Emmanuel having picked up a niggling injury. The left-back could be pleased with his display.

With 15 minutes or so to go, and not for the first time, Town fans broke into a chorus of Sam Ricketts’ Barmy Army as they threw their weight behind Salop’s new boss, who was closing in on that first league win.

Skipper Kelly sent a warning note from the edge of the box after a rare Grant error but it flew a foot or so over the diving Arnold’s crossbar.

As seems the case with one-goal leads, the side chasing a leveller threatened with balls into Town’s box but the home side never looked particularly stretched.

Things het up with the tireless Laurent, Norburn and Clarke-Harris all booked inside a couple of minutes as Mr Trevor Kettle dished out the Christmas cards late on.

But Shrewsbury kept their cool and Ricketts will be delighted to bag his first league win as Town boss as his side begin to look up the League One table.

Key moments

1 - Inside 30 seconds a Greg Docherty corner was met by James Bolton. His first shot was blocked and second went wide.

12 - Fejiri Okenabirhie’s cross looks to be dropping under the bar but Lee Burge just about deals with it and Aaron Amadi-Holloway can’t capitalise on the rebound.

22 - Superb minute’s applause for Town supporter Josh Woodman, who sadly passed away in the week.

23 - Anthony Grant’s thumping first-time strike is blocked by Abu Ogogo on its way over. Moments later Luke Waterfall hooks a fine volley from Docherty’s corner and it’s cleared off the line.

27 - Conor Chaplin’s half volley from a narrow left angle rips into Steve Arnold’s side netting.

34 - Great header Waterfall from Docherty’s corner, right at the back post, almost on the byline, he loops a header over Burge and it is well cleared off the line by Liam Kelly.

43 - Bolton finds Josh Laurent with a clever pass. The midfielder chops back on to his weaker left foot and lifts a shot over.

48 - Big moment as Arnold keeps his side level. Ollie Norburn and Mat Sadler leave it for one another and Luke Thomas is denied from close range with a good low save.

49 - GOAL TOWN!! A bullet header from Amadi-Holloway earns Town the lead. Fantastic delivery from Greg Docherty on a right-sided free-kick and the powerful frontman slams it in.

65 - Thomas’ right-sided cross is guided goalwards by Chaplin, Arnold makes the low save and Jonson Clarke-Harris taps in from close range but he is quickly ruled offside.

79 - Kelly blasts a thumping strike just over Arnold’s crossbar.

90 - Sub Lenell John-Lewis whistles a thumping strike inches wide as Salop look for a nerve-settling second.

Shrewsbury Town (4-4-2 diamond):

Arnold; Bolton, Waterfall, Sadler ©, Haynes (Emmanuel, 75); Grant, Docherty, Norburn, Laurent; Amadi-Holloway (John-Lewis, 80), Okenabirhie (Sears, 89).

Subs not used: Coleman (gk), Colkett, Gilliead, Angol.

Coventry (4-1-4-1):

Burge; Sterling, Hyam, Willis, Brown (Shipley, 90); Kelly ©; Thomas (Allassani, 89), Bayliss, Ogogo (Hiwula, 57), Chaplin; Clarke-Harris.

Subs not used: Addai (gk), Grimmer, Westbrooke, Thompson.

Referee: Trevor Kettle

Attendance: 8,083 (1,639 Coventry fans)

Man of the match - Anthony Grant - he was absolutely everywhere.

Position in the table - 15th (28 points from 23 games)