Shrewsbury 1 Blackpool 0 - Report

Daniel Udoh’s scrambled first-half winner was the difference on a snowy night against Blackpool - with the striker lively to the rebound after Ollie Norburn’s penalty was saved - as Steve Cotterill’s Shrewsbury continued their resurgence against the in-form visitors.

Salop’s first Montgomery Waters Meadow League One success this season came at the ninth time of asking - the longest Town have gone before registering a home league win in their Football League history.

And the significant monkey off Town’s back, secured in front of an appreciative and buoyant crowd revelling in Town’s upturn in form, represented further evidence of the stunning revival under Cotterill.

Udoh’s 38th-minute winner came after ex-Town flyer Sullay Kaikai fouled Shaun Whalley and Shrews were sharper to the rebound as Pools debutant Sam Walker saved Norburn’s spot-kick.

Town are eight league matches unbeaten - seven under new boss Cotterill - as they climbed to 16th in League One, ending the year five points clear of the bottom four. The run is their best since the 15-game run without defeat that started the 2017/18 season.

So much uncertainty lies ahead but Town again proved what is certain, that under Cotterill they are more than capable of steering well clear of danger.

Just as team news was announced ahead of kick-off, Town revealed the news that one unnamed member of the playing squad has tested positive for Covid-19 and would now be self isolating.

Cotterill made two changes from the side that battled back to secure a creditable point at Wigan on Boxing Day.

Jan Zamburek kept his place in attacking midfield and Udoh returned for Leon Clarke in attack, with the latter dropping to the bench.

Josh Daniels started just a second league game at right wing-back for Matt Millar, who was not involved in the squad.

Town did have assistant manager Aaron Wilbraham back involved after Cotterill’s No.2 missed two games serving a period of isolation.

The Seasiders, without a win in 11 against Shrewsbury, were dealt a blow by the loss to injury of influential attacker CJ Hamilton, their joint-top scorer this term.

But Neil Critchley’s men still possessed a range of attacking quality and had lost just once in 13 games in all competitions.

Blackpool handed a debut to emergency loan goalkeeper Walker after No.1 Chris Maxwell returned a positive test.

The supporters that braved the freezing, snowy conditions for a first home game since early December provided a deserved warm welcome to the team that had secured some remarkable victories on the road under Cotterill.

It had been a team effort for Salop’s groundstaff alongside other staff members to shift snow from the surface, that had been covered by protective sheets, hours ahead of kick-off.

While Town had been busy on their travels their visitors have had a quiet Christmas. Games against Sunderland and Rochdale were postponed due to Covid issues with the opposition.

The Meadow tussle was just one of five out of 12 scheduled League One fixtures to go ahead owing to the pandemic and increased rates being discovered.

And the Seasiders were the livelier early on. Talented young West Ham attacker Dan Kemp shot low at Matija Sarkic before the experienced Gary Madine struck a 35-yard rocket just wide of the top right corner.

Norburn and Josh Vela were busy in Town’s midfield trying to wrestle control in their side’s favour.

In-form crowd favourite Whalley sent the hosts’ first effort of note narrowly wide of the

near post after a sharp turn from Vela’s pass.

Shrewsbury’s best moments were reward for Whalley and Udoh’s industrious runs on the shoulder of the visitors’ defence.

Vela’s rising effort from outside the box was well held by keeper Walker as Town began to win the second balls and attack Blackpool regularly.

Aaron Pierre and Whalley were denied shortly after as the defender stormed into the left side of the box and his low effort was saved by Walker before Marvin Ekpiteta blocked Whalley’s rebound.

The pressure was telling and, as Salop knitted together another neat move, the Tangerines caved.

Vela was involved again as Town worked their way into the right of Blackpool’s box and as Whalley spun away from his marker, Kaikai could not help but clip the heels of his former team-mate. Referee Neil Hair pointed straight to the spot.

Norburn’s effort was kept out of the bottom left corner by Walker, but the blue and amber shirts reacted quicker as Whalley’s deflected follow-up squirmed across the six-yard box and Udoh reacted as all good strikers should to bundle home his third goal of the season, all coming at the Meadow.

Cotterill’s men didn’t want half-time to come. Charlie Daniels, who had been excellent with the ball, curled a wicked 25-yard free-kick inches wide of the top corner.

It was the visitors who forced the first effort after the restart, former Everton youngster Luke Garbutt sending a good free-kick towards Sarkic’s bottom left corner, but the keeper was equal to it.

Cotterill was frustrated as Ro-Shaun Williams conceded a free-kick but the stopper defended it well and launched a fine counter-attack, involving Charlie Daniels’ stunning switch and neat combination between the busy Zamburek and Vela led to left wing-back being denied by a top close-range Walker save.

Visiting boss Critchley decided he had seen enough and made four subs with 25 minutes left, introducing Jerry Yates, Demetri Mitchell, Grant Ward and Ollie Turton.

Cotterill responded, introducing Dave Edwards and Shilow Tracey.

From nowhere Blackpool almost levelled midway through the second period as Madine climbed typically well to connect to a right-sided cross but his fine header was saved excellently by a diving Sarkic.

Blackpool cranked up the pressure but Town defended diligently as Cotterill screamed ‘stay organised!’ from his technical area.

A wicked delivery from the left by Kenny Dougall only required a touch for the visitors to level but Ekpiteta couldn’t provide it and the ball zipped agonizingly wide at the far post.

Town held on comfortably, seeing the game out expertly, as ‘Steve Cotterill’s Barmy Army’ rang out loud and true around the Meadow to end a rotten 2020.

Teams

Shrewsbury Town (3-4-1-2):

Sarkic; Williams, Ebanks-Landell, Pierre; J Daniels (Tracey, 66), Norburn ©, Vela, C Daniels; Zamburek (Edwards 66); Whalley (Golbourne, 77), Udoh (Clarke, 82).

Subs not used: Burgoyne, Pugh, Cummings.

Blackpool (4-2-3-1):

Walker; Gabriel (Turton, 65), Ballard, Ekpieta, Garbutt; Dougall, Robson (Mitchell, 65); Kemp (Yates, 65), Anderson (Lubala, 83), Kaikai (Ward, 65); Madine ©.

Subs not used: Sims, Husband.

Referee: Neil Hair