Shrewsbury Town 0 Fleetwood Town 3 - Report and pictures

Sam Ricketts’ men were booed at full-time - along with jeers aimed at panto villain Joey Barton and referee Kevin Johnson - after a nothing second-half display ended their fourth-match unbeaten Montgomery Waters Meadow run.

It was also Town’s first league defeat in three games after their recent upturn in form since the international break and transfer deadline day.

The home side dominated the first half hour and spurned good chances but Callum Lang’s unfortunate own goal with 10 minutes of the first half set the tone for the remainder.

Salop lost Ethan Ebanks-Landell to injury, with Lang also down struggling at one point, before second-half goals from Josh Morris and Paddy Madden condemned Shrews to a heavy loss.

Barton was booked late on by ref Johnson whose side played the second half out exactly how their manager would have hoped, growing on their 1-0 lead and frustrating the home players and crowd with various tactics as they climbed to third.

Town were playing at home on a Saturday for the first time in more than a month, going back to the goalless draw with Burton on August 24.

Since then Ricketts has brought exciting front pair Lang and Jason Cummings to the club, and the duo had three goals between them already - including both netting in the thrilling 4-3 victory over Southend a couple of Tuesdays ago.

Shrewsbury and their fans knew that the visit of the Cod Army, who have started the season in impressive fashion, came as a good opportunity to cement their own good start to the campaign.

Barton’s men certainly promised to be no pushovers. They were fifth ahead of kick-off, proving their own ambitious promotion targets were not to be sniffed at.

Ricketts’ men had already climbed one position to 10th in 24 hours, benefitting from Blackpool downing Lincoln 2-1 in Friday night League One action. Fleetwood had dropped a place.

Unsurprisingly Ricketts decided to go with the same XI that saw off the Shrimpers in the previous home game. That meant one change from the encouraging and spirited 0-0 draw at Rotherham seven days previous.

Cummings returned to the XI for Shaun Whalley, who dropped to the bench as Salop returned to the usual 3-5-2 system. There was a place for Aaron Pierre, recovering a calf knock, on the bench, and Louis Thompson - who is also on his way back from an injury.

Barton used the same XI that earned a last-gasp victory against Rochdale in their previous league game.

Despite the relatively small following from the visitors from the Fylde coast, there was an anticipation around the Meadow in the blustery conditions ahead of kick-off as Ricketts’ men, three unbeaten, returned home.

The home faithful were excited to see what this improving side were about and, inside a minute, were almost treated to one of the great New Meadow goals.

Sean Goss found the ball at his feet exactly on the halfway line and sensed a chance when nobody around him did.

The German-born star leaned back, with barely any power, lifted the ball towards goal having seen Alex Cairns out around the edge of his own box.

It looked fairly routine for the away keeper before the wind got involved and Cairns backpedalled furiously, eventually climbing to tip around the post. The crowd were thrilled, even Josh Laurent was amazed by the effort.

Town weren’t done and Goss’ corner was missed at the near post by Lang before Ebanks-Landell sent a decent header chance over.

The hosts controlled the opening stages. They dictated the ball with both long and short range passing. Spreading the play around the pitch well, though it soon became apparent the conditions would play a part in proceedings.

Goss’ range of passing was the highlight early on. Inviting Ryan Giles and Donald Love forward from the wing-back positions.

The midfielder’s set-pieces caused chaos. Omar Beckles was inches away from getting on the end of a couple of delightful inswingers.

Cummings was just unable to divert a dangerous low cross from Love but it was his strike partner Lang winning all the early praise from fans.

Despite taking a knock and receiving treatment early on. Just like his tireless display at Rotherham last week, the on-loan Wigan man was everywhere.

With that came more flashes of his fine technical ability. The frontman left a defender red-faced with a lovely nutmeg creating one chance, before skinning another Fleetwood man to create the best chance so far inside 25 minutes.

The forward ventured into the right side of the box and his low cross picked out Giles on the edge of the box but the Wolves loan youngster lost his composure and blazed over first-time. It was a very presentable chance.

A decent chance came Cummings’ way just after half hour as he latched on to a long ball over the Fleetwood defence, slightly left, but had keeper Cairns rush out to the edge of his box to close down the space.

The Scot went for an intricate lob but Cairns was equal to the effort.

Salop were made to pay for those misses nine minutes before the break. A Paul Coutts corner from Fleetwood’s left found Dunne unmarked at the back post and the on-loan Burnley defender crashed a header into the net.

The big defender was allowed a free run from deep in the box. His header hit the bar and was heading out before it struck the unfortunate Lang on the goalline and crossed Max O’Leary’s goalline.

The optimism seeped out of Town as the visitors looked to build on their unlikely lead.

The hosts’ frustration was summed up as skipper Ollie Norburn picked up a deserved yellow for a crunching tackle, which meant it was the tightrope for him for the remainder.

To make things worse for Ricketts, Town lost Ebanks-Landell shortly after. The defender was down struggling with what looked like a leg muscle injury as Pierre came on to replace him.

The wind transferred into the sails of the Cod Army and Town were left with a job to salvage something from the second half.

Barton had his side exactly where he wanted them at the break.

The former Man City and Newcastle midfielder had sent his players out with something to hold on to and build from - and with a clear plan to get skipper Norburn sent off.

Norburn was on the receiving end of three fouls in as many minutes after the break before reacting with frustration and then conceding a free-kick himself, leaving Barton and co scream at the fourth official for a second yellow.

Shrews had other problems. They had become lethargic and sloppy on the ball. Simple passes were needlessly flying out of play as momentum was dropping and the crowd growing further frustrated.

The home side’s job was made all the more difficult 10 minutes after half-time.

Fleetwood had sniffed blood and were rewarded for being sharper on the ball, knitting a decent move through the left side of Town’s static defence for right-back Lewis Coyle to cross for Morris to turn home in a scramble.

Barton and the Cod Army celebrated while Salop, whose heads had began to drop with their home league record slipping through their fingers, faced a long way back.

Whalley was readied and sent on for the off-colour Cummings but Town were struggling to force anything of note in attacking areas in an extremely scrappy second period - just how Fleetwood wanted it.

Town and their fans were becoming frustrated with everything, including the official, who the supporters’ deemed against their side on a handful of occasions.

But it was Fleetwood who could’ve added to the score. Coutts shot over from an angle as Salop switched off from a short corner before a Burns cross begged for a tap in. The same man then shot over from close range when he really should have made it three.

Ricketts had made his final change with more than 20 minutes left, an attacking switch sacrificing Ro-Shaun Williams for Daniel Udoh and going 4-3-3 for a late barrage.

But that simply did not come. The hosts were disjointed and couldn’t get themselves going, looking devoid of confidence.

Fleetwood were showing no mercy in front of their delighted 150 travelling fans and, with 10 minutes to go, smashed in a third to condemn Shrewsbury to an utterly forgettable home defeat.

Madden, who had recently from the bench, was no stranger to scoring against Shrewsbury and added to his tally with a really well-taken volley from the inside right of the box that O’Leary could only help into the net.

The final stages were a procession, until the 90th minute where Whalley, Laurent and Beckles had efforts on goal, but it was a chastening home defeat up there with the toughest of Ricketts’ reign so far.

Shrewsbury Town (3-5-2):

O’Leary; Williams (Udoh, 69), Ebanks-Landell (Pierre, 45), Beckles; Love, Norburn ©, Goss, Laurent, Giles; Cummings (Whalley, 59), Lang.

Subs not used: Murphy (gk), Walker, Edwards, Thompson.

Fleetwood Town (4-3-3):

Cairns; Coyle, Souttar, Dunne, Andrew; Dempsey (Hunter, 88), Coutts ©, Rossiter; Morris (Madden, 78), Evans, Burns.

Subs not used: Gilks (gk), Clarke, Biggins, Sowerby, Mooney

Referee: Kevin Johnson

Attendance: 5,888 (153 Fleetwood fans)