Sunderland 1 Shrewsbury Town 0 - Report

Charlie Wyke’s fine looping header after just 18 minutes inflicted a first League One defeat since November on the tired visitors, who are still without ill boss Steve Cotterill.

Twenty-seven days since their last league outing, a 1-0 home victory over Blackpool in front of supporters, Salop resumed their league campaign but paid for a sluggish start at Sunderland, who were just about able to record a rare and welcome home victory.

Shrewsbury, managed by assistant Aaron Wilbraham, were disjointed for half hour. They found their feet and made some decent chances before the break but could not convert.

The visitors were the better side after the break, with their illustrious hosts edgy, but a lack of cutting edge was apparent in Town, who started with two unrecognised wing-backs and Leon Clarke for just the second time since October.

After a brave effort in the FA Cup at Southampton on Tuesday, in which Town pushed their Premier League hosts close, the league return proved underwhelming as Shrewsbury lacked any sort of cutting edge on an afternoon which heightened the need for reinforcements at wing-back.

Town began with centre-half Ro-Shaun Williams at right wing-back and previously frozen out right-back Donald Love at left wing-back and the need for additions in those areas before the upcoming deadline is apparent.

Shrewsbury, with no date on when their manager will be well enough to return to the dugout, remain 17th but saw the gap to the bottom four cut to two points.

It remains to be seen if the Covid-19 outbreak and subsequent enforced break will catch up with Town physically. Salop return to action in just a few days at basement boys Burton.

Cotterill, a former assistant to Howard Wilkinson at the Stadium of Light where they spent between October 2002 and March 2003, remained absent as he continues recovering from Covid-19.

The surprising team news for Shrewsbury’s first league game of the calendar year was a first league start of the season for former Black Cats defender Love.

Love, a right-sided defender, was frozen out under former boss Sam Ricketts and not even registered in Town’s 23-man league squad.

But, with the chance to re-register in the January transfer window, Love - who was with Sunderland between 2016 and 2019 - was handed a reprieve and a place in a slightly more unfamiliar left wing-back, though he had turned out in that role in his time in the north east.

His only previous league involvement this term was the final five minutes of the second game of the season - a 2-1 home defeat to Northampton. Love had played in the EFL Trophy ties. He replaced Scott Golbourne, who was a substitute.

The other change from the side that battled gallantly in FA Cup defeat at Southampton was in attack, as Leon Clarke replaced Dan Udoh.

There was no place in the Town squad for new signing David Davis, who is self-isolating. Other new recruits Matthew Pennington and Harry Chapman kept their places after impressing on Tuesday.

Rekeil Pyke and Josh Daniels travelled but were not involved. Shilow Tracey was nowhere to be seen, with question marks over his loan future.

Sunderland had lost more home league games (four) than won (three) this season and went into the contest on the back of a 2-1 home reverse to Plymouth in midweek.

Love, starting his first league game since last February, showed a neat touch on the left flank early on and appeared keen to get forward as some high balls were aimed his way.

But Johnson’s hosts quickly took the initiative controlling the play on what was a rather poor, dry and bobbly surface.

The hosts almost profited from a bounce off the industrious Ollie Norburn but Aiden O’Brien was unable to release partner Wyke in the box.

Sunderland came again though and, after Shrewsbury were unconvincing from a corner, Josh Scowen’s fierce goalbound strike was bravely blocked by Town’s Josh Vela.

The home side were not having to do anything special to cause the visitors all sorts of problems.

Shrewsbury were struggling in 50-50 contests, losing first and second balls and failing to clear their lines.

Referee Samuel Barrott waved away half-heated penalty claims for Aaron Pierre pressure on Wyke but it felt like an opener was on the way for the home side.

And 18 minutes in they delivered just that. It was a poor goal for Shrewsbury to concede.

Talented Ireland international Aiden McGeady got beyond makeshift right wing-back Williams far too easily and his cross was expertly met by in-form forward Wyke, who climbed and looped a superb header across Matija Sarkic’s goal and over the despairing grasp of the keeper.

The opening quarter of the contest felt disjointed from a Shrewsbury perspective, with both makeshift wing-backs struggling to impose themselves and Clarke isolated and offering little in attack, including a handful of early offsides.

Another McGeady run was too clever for Williams and Sarkic was this time able to claim a low cross.

Love was almost played in on goal from a clever and well-delivered Pennington clearance but the Town man was out-paced by his defender.

Wyke, far from the quickest forward, was in on goal from one simple high ball, racing clear of the Town defence and knocking it around the onrushing Sarkic, but the striker’s touch took him wide and he couldn’t get the effort on target with defenders retrieving. It was a let off.

Shrewsbury were unconvincing and Williams, in particular, struggled. With no danger apparent, the stopper under-hit a poor back pass and onrushing Sunderland attackers almost profited if not for Sarkic’s alertness. Even then the recycled cross was just about cleared as Town continued to defend sleepily.

A nightmare half hour should have seen Shrews further behind but, with the gap still at one, they recovered somewhat, with the impressive Chapman a rare but extremely bright spark.

A Black Cats error almost cost the hosts, who appeared to be coasting.

Keeper Lee Burge inexplicably gave the ball away and Chapman picked out Shaun Whalley’s run down the right as Town attacked three on one.

Whalley’s low cross to the unmarked Clarke looked to have initially been cut out by a defender, whose clearance was ineffective, allowing Shrews’ striker a gilt-edged chance.

Clarke paused, took his time with and, with defenders having retreated, somehow fired over from eight yards out. It was a golden opportunity.

The visitors remained unconvincing in their defending but the chance at least sparked a bit of belief in attack.

A deep Whalley cross dropped to Love, on the left side of the penalty area from a tight angle, and the former Manchester United youngster lashed a decent rising strike just over the crossbar.

Five minutes before the break a first bit of Shrewsbury quality shone through as Chapman, who hails from the north east, almost scoring an individual wondergoal.

Having picked the ball up deep, he weaved through three challenges into the box but saw a near post strike tipped on to the side netting by Burge. It was desperately unlucky.

Shrews were ultimately pleased to go in at the break with just a one-goal deficit. The visitors were clearly desperately missing the attacking width that now-departed wing-backs Matt Millar and Charlie Daniels offered before January.

Town assistant and stand-in boss Wilbraham prowled the technical area but he and David Longwell decided against changes at the break.

Sunderland centre-half Bailey Wright headed a free-kick well over after the break before a Clarke flick picked out unmarked Town right wing-back Williams, who was unable to find a blue and amber shirt with his low cross.

But Shrewsbury continued to grow in belief as Williams this time delivered an excellent floated pass from the right to pick out Clarke. The veteran frontman had time but defenders recovered and the ball bobbled to Burge.

Sunderland struggled to impose themselves as an attacking threat as the contest passed the hour mark. Sarkic was largely a spectator as the visitors enjoyed more of the play.

Williams pulled up with what appeared to be a muscle injury and was replaced by Ryan Sears, who went to the left as Love switched right.

The edginess around an empty Stadium of Light was palpable as Johnson’s men appeared edgy in their efforts to see out the three points.

Whalley was fed on the left flank and hit the gas, driving forward before jinking infield and lashing a fierce strike a couple of inches too high with less than 20 minutes to go.

Town’s stand-in management resisted to turn to Udoh or Jason Cummings on the bench, instead sending Sean Goss for Clarke, with Chapman joining Whalley up front.

A rare foray into the Town penalty box saw home skipper Max Power blast into the near side netting with maximum power but little accuracy.

Chapman was the next to fire off target, curling a first-time strike high and wide from just inside the box to add to a collection of inaccurate efforts.

Just a few minutes were left when Udoh was called on for attacking reinforcement but chances were not to come, as the hosts saw out the game well on an afternoon in which Town lacked any cutting edge.

Teams

Sunderland (4-2-2-2):

Burge; Power ©, Willis, Wright, McFadzean; Leadbitter, Scowan, Diamond (Maguire, 66), McGeady (Winchester, 81); Wyke, Albrighton.

Subs not used: Matthews, O’Nien, Sanderson, Embleton, Graham.

Shrewsbury Town (3-5-2):

Sarkic; Pennington, Ebanks-Landell, Pierre; Williams (Sears, 66), Norburn ©, Vela, Chapman, Love (Udoh, 88); Whalley, Clarke (Goss, 78).

Subs not used: Burgoyne, Golbourne, Edwards, Cummings.

Referee: Samuel Barrott

Attendance: Zero