Shrewsbury 2 Peterborough 0 - Report

Talented loan star Harry Chapman lit up his Shrewsbury Town home debut with a brilliant brace to earn his side a well-deserved 2-0 victory over high-flying Peterborough.

The on-loan Blackburn schemer opened the scoring with a stunning left-footed strike six minutes after the break - Town’s first goal in three games since their Covid-19 breakout - before the attacker wrapped up the deserved points late on with a fine individual goal.

After 1-0 defeats in the FA Cup and League One at Southampton and Sunderland, Town returned home to Montgomery Waters Meadow for the first time in more than a month and picked up their first victory since Steve Cotterill - who remains absent in hospital - went down ill.

But Cotterill’s first signing of the January transfer window Chapman built on impressive displays in recent weeks and delivered a stunning double act for a second home win on the spin - increasing the gap to the drop zone to five points.

There were excellent performances throughout under interim bosses Aaron Wilbraham and David Longwell, including from the likes of Josh Vela, Donald Love and debutant Nathanael Ogbeta.

Town’s back three were scarcely troubled throughout for a welcome clean sheet by a well below-par Peterborough, who went into the clash in form but failed to get going and were beaten all over the park on an afternoon that will surely be perfect medicine for boss Cotterill, watching on from Bristol.

Shrews remain 17th but with games and hand around their rivals after what was the start of a run in four home games in five. They welcome 10th-placed Crewe to the Meadow on Tuesday.

Salop remain firmly in the transfer market for a goalscoring centre-forward and other positions ahead of Monday night’s deadline, with an ambitious loan for Sunderland’s Will Grigg in the works, and Stoke’s Josh Tymon set to check in.

But players already in the building showed what they were capable of against one of the league’s big-hitters as a fourth member of the current top four was seen off by the ever impressive and improving Town.

The hosts handed a debut to new boy Nathanael Ogbeta, signed this week from Manchester City, at left wing-back.

Love, who performed admirably on the left at Sunderland last weekend, shuffled across to right wing-back, as Ro-Shaun Williams returned to the back three in place of Matthew Pennington, who missed out with a shoulder injury picked up in training.

That setback denied the impressive Everton loan stopper a home debut, but there was a Meadow bow for fellow loanee Chapman, who had also caught the eye in his first appearances for Shrews.

Daniel Udoh returned to Shrewsbury’s frontline in place of Leon Clarke, who failed to make the matchday 18, with Rekeil Pyke this time elected as a substitute.

Visitors Posh arrived in fine form, nine unbeaten in all competitions - including seven in League One - in a run that had helped them up to third.

Peterborough’s fiersome frontline featured Siriki Dembele, who bagged a fine hat-trick against Salop on Halloween, and has since been linked with moves elsewhere.

Prolific third tier frontman Jonson Clarke-Harris and Sam Szmodics were also named in an attacking side which was boosted by the return of influential attacker Joe Ward at right wing-back.

Darren Ferguson’s men were without centre-half Frankie Kent due to a mild concussion. Kent had been important in United’s back three in a fine recent run of three clean sheets in four.

The names of all of those connected to Shrewsbury who had sadly passed away in 2020 were displayed on the stadium’s scoreboard at a silent and empty Meadow ahead of kick-off.

Chapman showed some early intent on a bitterly cold Shropshire afternoon with a run straight at the heart of the Posh defence immediately from the start.

But it was the visitors who forced the contest’s first chance on goal. A simple through ball looked to have been covered by Williams but the defender got himself turned by Dembele inside his own penalty box.

Dembele was quickly bearing down on goal but some smart goalkeeping from Matija Sarkic brought the Town man out of goal sharply to make a crucial point-blank save.

The hosts were under the guidance of prowling stand-in boss Wilbraham, who was a constant and vocal presence in the Shrews technical area, joined sporadically for advice by Longwell.

And Shrewsbury began looking assured in a tight contest. Chapman was a bright spark, nipping around attempting to make things happen on the ball.

Skipper Ollie Norburn caught the eye both with and without the ball. He was involved a number of times early on, moving the ball forward nicely and setting the tone with his pressing and challenges.

Shrews were a lick of paint from leading inside just nine minutes. Good feet from Chapman maneuvered the attacking midfielder into a dangerous position just outside the box and his low left-footed drive was expertly flicked on by Udoh, showing quickfire reactions, in diverting the ball on to the left post.

Visiting goalkeeper Christy Pym was beaten, but the rebound dropped fortunately into his grasp.

From that point on Shrews took control. It wasn’t a thriller, but the home side were well on top. Udoh’s hold-up play at times helped midfielders link up and, once again, Love was a willing attacker from wing-back.

Ogbeta looked confident in defending a shimmy from the tricky Ward and caught the eye in a more unnatural attacking position, showing sharp feet to work a yard and a willingness to deliver a cross.

Efforts on goal were at a premium but the impressive Vela was inches wide on half hour, flashing a strike from 25 yards that flew just wide of the left-hand post.

Shrews were comfortably on top by this point and, following good work from Udoh and Shaun Whalley, Love’s volley from a right position in the Posh box was deflected wide at the near post.

And Wilbraham’s side were scarcely troubled at the other end. Big striker Clarke-Harris attempted to cause Williams problems but he and Love combined to good effect. Aaron Pierre and Ethan Ebanks-Landell looked confident and were hardly troubled.

Peterborough’s case wasn’t aided by the loss of influential midfielder Jack Taylor to injury just before the break.

Wilbraham and Longwell resisted the option to make any changes, unsurprisingly pleased with much of what they saw before the break.

Within 30 seconds of the restart the home side were straight back on the front foot.

Udoh did well to work himself into the Peterborough box and his low scooped left-footed effort was straight at Pym, who juggled the ball and almost surrendered it to the onrushing Whalley before claiming.

Shrews continued on the front foot and six minutes into the second period they crafted a deserved lead.

The move began with an adventurous dart forward out of defence from Williams. Peterborough, in keeping with much of the afternoon, were indecisive with the situation and this time they were punished.

Chapman took charge 30 yards out, he stepped forward towards the edge of the box and unleashed a rasping drive with his weaker left foot which whistled straight into the left corner of the net, leaving Pym barely time to react.

It was Town’s first goal since returning from their three-week Covid break, the first without boss Cotterill watching from the wings, but a really deserved opener packed full of quality from a class act.

Posh threatened to hit back immediately as top scorer Clarke-Harris sent a rare sighter of goal over with his head, where Town defenders did enough.

But that was a rare foray forward. The imperious Vela, who was excellent throughout, almost helped craft a second. He stepped out to intercept a Posh pass before driving forward towards halfway and releasing Whalley brilliantly.

Town’s No.7 turned Mark Beevers inside out to the byline and his low cross was just unable to find Udoh in the six yard box.

Posh changed to a back four but it did little to quell the pressure.

Impressive debutant Ogbeta saw a wicked cross from the left trouble Pym, who had to quickly back-track to parry away the delivery which instead of finding a Town head was flying straight in.

Wave after wave of attack kept coming as Pierre had a shot blocked from a delicious Chapman corner before Whalley almost netted a candidate for goal of the season.

The Town man easily darted on to a high ball over the static visiting defence and inspired some quick-thinking saw a clever lob from almost the edge of the box almost catch on Pym, who again reacted brilliantly to just paw over. It was a moment of quality from attacker and goalkeeper.

Three corners in a row kept the pressure on, from the latter Ebanks-Landell had a header cleared almost off the line.

Ferguson and his staff were clearly unhappy. Clarke-Harris was one of three hooked in a triple change on the three quarter period.

It did little to change the theme initially before the hosts were unfortunately forced into a change of their own as the unlucky Love trudged off injured after another impressive display, Ryan Sears called from the bench for the third game running.

Salop were still the more likely. More quick-thinking from a Whalley throw released the tireless Vela down the less and his deep cross led to partner Norburn’s skewed volley wide.

Peterborough finally rallied inside the last 15 minutes. Sub Mo Eisa sent a free-kick straight down Sarkic’s throat before Ethan Hamilton shot just wide from 30 yards.

But Town’s highly impressive match-winner put the contest to bed with five minutes left.

Chapman picked up the ball midway through the Posh half and had one through, to charge at the exposed three-man defence, where he turned sub Frazer Blake-Tracey inside out into the box and lashing in a superb finish which was way too hot to handle.

It was a home debut to remember for a talented young star who looks set to spearhead Shrewsbury’s second half of the campaign.