Shropshire Star

Plymouth 1 Shrewsbury Town 1 - Report and pictures

Shrewsbury Town picked up a welcome point at Plymouth Argyle as their wait for a first League One win of the season goes on.

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Josh Vela rewarded a bright start by Sam Ricketts’ visitors with his first goal for the club after 14 minutes as the home side failed to settle in the behind-closed-doors clash at Home Park.

But Ryan Lowe’s Pilgrims forced their way into the contest and levelled through another deflected strike, as Conor Grant found the corner from outside the box.

Town handed a debut from the bench for new centre-forward Leon Clarke, the new addition from Sheffield United.

A point apiece was about right but newly-promoted Plymouth had the better of the chances, forcing both Matija Sarkic and then his second-half replacement Harry Burgoyne into good saves.

Sarkic limped off shortly into the second half with what appeared to be a hamstring injury, adding to Ricketts’ headache in the treatment room with Rekeil Pyke, Dave Edwards, Sean Goss and Ryan Sears all unavailable and Ethan Ebanks-Landell only fit enough for the bench.

Shrewsbury chalked up their second point of the campaign after three games, adding to the point picked up on the road at Portsmouth on the opening day, but Ricketts’ men were unable to respond from last week’s home reverse to Northampton.

The eyes of Town supporters were firmly on whether new signing Clarke, brought in on a free transfer after leaving Premier League Sheffield United on Friday evening, would start.

But the 35-year-old hitman had to make do with a place on the visitors’ bench, with Daniel Udoh continuing up front in the absence of the injured Rekeil Pyke, who has been ruled out for up to four months with a thigh injury.

Brad Walker overcame a knee concern to keep his place in midfield from Tuesday’s victory in the EFL Trophy. Captain Ollie Norburn, a former Argyle midfielder, made the bench.

Ethan Ebanks-Landell and Josh Daniels, on their way back from head and ankle injuries, also made the substitute’s bench.

New signing Shilow Tracey is still not available to play for his loan club having not yet trained at Sundorne Castle.

Marlon Fossey, the Fulham loanee, was given the nod at right-back, with a possible eye on his pace exploiting the Pilgrims’ open, expansive style.

Much of the talk surrounding Plymouth ahead of the contest was Argyle’s two positive Covid-19 tests, for one player and one staff member, after facing Leyton Orient - who have suffered a breakout - in the Carabao Cup.

Defender Will Aimson was the only member of the Pilgrims squad missing from the thrilling 4-4 draw at AFC Wimbledon.

Former Shrews defender Niall Canavan, wearing the captain’s armband, made his first start of the campaign as one of three changes.

Lowe’s side have been the great entertainers so far this season, having been part of three 3-2 scorelines as well as a 4-4. Plymouth started their league campaign with an impressive 1-0 win over fancied side Blackpool.

Former Town striker Lowe, who played almost 200 games in five years in blue and amber, has enjoyed an impressive start to management with promotions at Bury and Plymouth. He oversaw a victory over Paul Hurst’s Salop in caretaker charge of the Shakers in 2017.

Ricketts’ men caught the eye with some attractive football in the opening exchanges.

They worked a couple of neat moves into dangerous positions on the right side, where deliveries just got away from visiting white shirts.

Argyle sat deep, with Salop enjoying plenty of the ball and a lot of territory in the Pilgrims’ half.

Midfielder Vela sent the game’s first effort, a left-footed half-volley, rising over the top left angle after barely five minutes.

It turned out the former Bolton man was just getting his sighter in as, with 14 minutes on the clock, he delivered on his promise of goals this season by breaking the deadlock.

From a half-cleared free-kick, Walker teed up Vela and the No.10 struck a fierce low drive that flicked off a green Argyle shirt on its way beyond keeper Michael Cooper.

It was Vela’s first Town goal at the eighth time of asking.

And it was the least Salop deserved after a lively start that had left the hosts rattled. Lowe’s men were at sixes and sevens at the back, guilty of presenting possession to Shrews on multiple occasions.

Salop smelt blood and went in search of a second with more play down the Shrewsbury right causing problems. Shaun Whalley went on a mazy run infield before sending a decent long-range strike over the top.

It took until the midway point of the first half for Plymouth to settle. From nowhere the hosts sprung into the Town box, as striker Dom Telford spun Ro-Shaun Williams well but his low left-footed drive was expertly kept out by Sarkic down to his left.

Moments later Sarkic delivered an early contender for save of the season.

Telford must have felt his luck was out after his free header was saved by the on-loan Wolves goalkeeper, who was still on the deck when he showed stunning reflexes to keep out Telford’s hammered rebound.

The warning signs were there for Salop and the Pilgrims drew level just before the half hour as midfielder Grant was afforded too much room just outside the Town box, slightly right, and he curled a deflected left-footed strike that left Sarkic motionless on its way into the left corner.

Shrewsbury had let their control on the contest wane but they managed to settle again after the equaliser, working some neat moves down either flank through Whalley, Udoh and Fossey.

Town passed up a presentable opportunity seven minutes before the break as Udoh’s fierce low cross from the left looked perfect for Jason Cummings to convert but the Scot was unable to sort his feet for a first-time finish.

The sides went in level at the break, which was about right after Plymouth stepped their game up as the half wore on as Shrews struggled to replicate the sharpness and control from the early stages.

Sarkic was at his best again shortly into the second period to deny what would have been a strange goal as George Cooper’s cross from left wing-back flicked dangerously off Fossey and was spinning in at the near post before Sarkic’s sharp intervention.

Plymouth started the half the stronger and Cooper was lively again, nipping in from his left flank, sending a low daisy-cutter that was sneaking into the bottom right corner before Aaron Pierre’s vital block.

Town were dealt a blow 10 minutes after the restart as Sarkic dropped clutching his hamstring after making a clearance.

The goalkeeper trudged off to be replaced by Harry Burgoyne, whose loan spell at Home Park at the beginning of the 2018/19 campaign was cruelly cut short by a broken ankle sustained in Holland during pre-season.

Shrewsbury showed signs of life, with Udoh and Cummings combining well before a low cross just got away from Whalley.

Ricketts sent skipper Norburn on for Scott High just after the hour and the ex-Plymouth man was straight into the action, sending a stinging drive towards goal blocked, Norburn felt, by a Plymouth arm but referee Tim Robinson was unmoved.

Town pressed on and Cummings worked some room on the inside right of the Pilgrims box. Town’s No.35 checked on to his left foot and forced a low save for Cooper.

Powerful Argyle frontman Frank Nouble forced Burgoyne into a decent save with a firm header from a right-sided delivery.

Ricketts handed Clarke his Shrewsbury debut with some 21 minutes left, making it three former Argyle introductions from the visiting bench.

Plymouth are one of the 35-year-old striker’s 18 former clubs. Clarke spent a brief five-game loan spell with the Pilgrims in the Championship in the 2005/06 campaign.

It was the hosts who looked the more threatening as the tight contest entered its final quarter.

Burgoyne made a super save to keep his side level with 15 minutes left. Nouble was sent scampering in on goal and his low left-footed drive was creeping in at the near post but for the interception of the former Wolves keeper’s outstretched right leg.

The second half had been something of a non-event, particularly from a Town point of view. Frustration was palpable after Cummings skied an effort from distance after some neat build up.

Plymouth’s sighters on goal were more presentable as Burgoyne made a comfortable low save from sub Ryan Hardie.

Clarke received some treatment in the closing stages after an awkward landing and collision with keeper Michael Cooper while trying to connect to a looped Whalley cross. The powerful striker but himself about on his Salop bow.

Ultimately Shrewsbury were unable to create enough to threaten a winner, taking a worthwhile point back up the M5 from their trip to Devon as the wait for a league win goes on.

Teams

Plymouth Argyle (3-5-2):

M Cooper; Watts, Canavan ©, Wootton; Moore, Macleod (Camara, 30), Grant, Mayor, G Cooper; Nouble, Telford (Hardie, 67).

Subs not used: Ruddy, Edwards, Lolos, Randell, Pursall.

Shrewsbury Town (4-3-3):

Sarkic (Burgoyne, 55); Fossey, Williams, Pierre (c), Golbourne; Walker, High (Norburn, 62), Vela; Cummings, Udoh (Clarke, 69), Whalley.

Subs not used: Love, Ebanks-Landell, Barnett, Daniels.

Referee: Tim Robinson