Shrewsbury 1 Hull City 1 - Report

Nathanael Ogbeta’s stunning free-kick for Town, which will unfortunately go down as an own goal by Hull keeper Matt Ingram, handed the home side the impetus on the day Shrewsbury remembered Steve Jagielka at Montgomery Waters Meadow.

But ex-loanee and player of the season Docherty struck back around 10 minutes later, curling in a fine strike from distance after the hour.

Steve Cotterill and Aaron Wilbraham’s Town performed admirably against the leaders, who went into the clash having won five on the spin and conceded just once.

But the draw will also be remembered for referee Gavin Ward’s frustrating performance with the whistle. The official delivered eight yellow cards, including to away boss Grant McCann, and right from the off the contest was scrappy and unnecessarily broken up, allowing no flow or momentum.

Cotterill’s men, however, have taken four points from the leaders this season. Hull were victims of the Town boss’s first league win in December and Salop showed their impressive progress since to claim a deserved share of the spoils and a very decent point.

Josh Vela was everywhere for the hosts in another highly impressive performance, while Ogbeta came on strong late on. After his free-kick, which deserves to be a first senior goal, he was most likely to win it for either side. Salop were also able to welcome Ollie Norburn and Matija Sarkic from injury.

The point keeps Shrews, predictably, in 17th although extends their unbeaten run to a handy three games, ahead of Tuesday’s trip to in-form Burton, who lost some momentum with a home defeat to MK Dons today.

Shrewsbury remembered a recent favourite of the club with a touching tribute ahead of kick-off.

The club, community and county were rocked this week by the desperately sad news of the hugely popular former midfielder’s passing, aged just 43.

A poignant reminder of the sad news greeted those who were fortunate enough to enter Montgomery Waters Meadow, with a bunch of daffodils with the note ‘RIP Jags’ adorned the stadium gates.

Former team-mates of Jagielka’s, including Mickey Brown, Sam Aiston, Pete Wilding and Andy Tretton were invited to the match in memory of their friend, as were Jagielka’s family.

Jagielka was a hugely popular player at both Shrewsbury and AFC Telford, and continued to live in Shropshire. He played 207 games in blue and amber and scored 23 goals, playing his part, with such a typical energy and enthusiasm, in a couple of significant moments in the club’s recent history.

All that was missing was packed Meadow stands full of supporters desperate to pay their respects to ‘Jags’ and his family. It was a very poignant moment inside the stadium.

Town fans were boosted by significant team news ahead of kick-off.

Returning from injuries were goalkeeper Sarkic, who had missed two games with a quad injury, to replace Harry Burgoyne.

Also back was skipper and midfielder Norburn, who has been missing with a glute injury since the home 1-1 draw against AFC Wimbledon a couple of weeks ago.

Wilbraham had been coy over the captain’s fitness in midweek, and Norburn’s inclusion certainly lifted Salop prospects ahead of a relentless couple of months.

Norburn replaced Sean Goss, goalscorer at Charlton last weekend, in a more defensive midfield three, of which Josh Vela was the more offensive.

In attack, Cotterill and Wilbraham opted for Shaun Whalley and Daniel Udoh for Harry Chapman and Curtis Main.

Hull’s side effectively picked itself after the stunning recent run of five wins on the bench, in which the Tigers had conceded just once.

Their side included Docherty in midfield, the Scot who became such a favourite and won player of the season during his season-long loan from Rangers a couple of years ago.

McCann’s men also boasted the division’s in-form hitman in 20-goal forward Mallik Wilks.

The remarkable stat heading into the contest was that both Hull, in first, and Salop, in 17th, had lost the same amount of games (10) this season.

A solid early claim and booming kick from returning goalkeeper Sarkic suggested the on-loan Wolves man was over his muscle worries.

But the home side signalled their early intentions of not worrying about Hull’s flying form with the better start of the two sides. Salop were on the front foot and saw more of the ball early on.

Both sides were wasteful with some promising early set-backs, a couple from Hull were easily claimed by Sarkic, while Whalley’s deep deliveries for Town were overhit. Matthew Pennington and Ro-Shaun Williams did well with a couple of clearances.

Midfielder Brad Walker showed he was up for a midfield battle, as he tracked Docherty excellently down the left in recovering the ball for his side.

The contest was scrappy, referee Gavin Ward - who asked Josh Daniels to hurry up over a throw-in in the fourth minute - was whistle-happy as niggling fouls broke up any fluency, possibly in Shrewsbury’s favour.

But Cotterill’s men did force the game’s first opening. Hull were loose with the ball in their own third and the high-pressing Vela won it, exchanging passes with Whalley before testing Matt Ingram low at the front post from a narrow right angle.

Shrewsbury had enjoyed the better of a largely forgettable opening half hour but were dealt a blow as Walker limped off to be replaced by David Davis. The midfielder had recently returned from an ankle injury and looked to be holding his groin.

To add insult to injury, referee Ward decided to book Walker for limping slowly off the pitch.

The stoppage count continued to rise before the break, with absolutely no momentum unable to be worked.

Wilks blazed an effort well over from an acute left angle in the Tigers only effort at goal in the first period.

Whalley did keep Ingram honest with a low strike from distance after a neat nutmeg on his Hull counterpart.

McCann opted to introduce powerful Northern Ireland international striker Josh Magennis for Gavin Whyte at the break.

The second period began as the first one ended, with more whistles from busy official Ward to add to the 17 fouls from the first half.

Town worked a promising position as Udoh, who had enjoyed a busy afternoon putting himself about, was brought down by a Hull defender just outside the edge of the Tigers box.

As Salop stood over the promising position in deliberation, Wilbraham delivered a note to Williams, which was shared with Ebanks-Landell, Norburn, Davis and Daniels as the free-kick was readied.

Whatever the note said, it certainly worked.

Whalley, scorer from similar range this season, opted to leave it for relative new boy Ogbeta, still without a goal in the early throes of his senior career.

Undeterred, the former Manchester City showed a touch of class with an effortless effort, almost with his instep but with the power of a strike plumb off the laces, and the ball arrowed towards the top left corner.

The crossbar rattled as the ball cracked off the woodwork but, unfortunately for Ingram, it cannoned off the flying goalkeeper’s back and over the line.

It was a sensational strike and absolutely deserved to be the first of Ogbeta’s career, as the youngster flew away in wild celebration, but it will no doubt go down as an Ingram own goal.

The opening did the contest the world of good, albeit riled the already-frustrated hosts, who had Keane Lewis-Potter, George Honeyman and boss McCann booked in the space of 30 seconds.

Town’s tails were up and weren’t far from doubling their lead on the hour as a scramble from a back-post free-kick just dropped the way of the visitors.

Within a minute, out of nowhere, Hull were level.

Honeyman span Norburn expertly and played a neat ball into Magennis. He sent it on to Docherty whose first strike was well blocked, the Town did not do enough to charge down the follow up as the Scot, so popular in his year at Salop, curled in a delightful finish over Sarkic and into the far corner from 25 yards.

It was a top finish from a player well-accustomed to netting at the Meadow as Docherty and his team-mates rushed back ready to force a winner.

Defender Jacob Greaves could’ve put them ahead soon after but the big centre-half could only send his header from a corner wide across goal.

An entertaining contest had appeared but its scrappy nature continued as both Davis and Vela entered the referee’s book.

Town introduced Main for Udoh with 15 minutes remaining.

Ogbeta again was a likely source of making something happen. The left wing-back worked a bit of room on the edge of the box before he sent a fierce strike high and wide.

The foul count passed 30, the most of any Shrewsbury match of recent months, which rather captured the afternoon perfectly.

Hull saw more of the ball in the final 10 minutes but were wasteful with their final action.

Ogbeta remained front and centre. His skewed, mishit cross almost looped Ingram and dropped under the crossbar but for the keeper’s necessary paw.

After good work from sub Dave Edwards, the relentless Ogbeta was again invited forward and into the box following a lovely stepover. The youngster dropped under an apparent late challenge, only for Ward to whistle and decide to caution the Salop man for a dive.

Ward’s whistle may be an abiding memory but the contest will also be remembered for Ogbeta’s screamer and Docherty’s return to the Meadow - albeit the afternoon, sadly in front of an empty Meadow, provided a poignant setting as the club and community remembered the life of Steve Jagielka.

Teams

Shrewsbury Town (3-5-2):

Sarkic; Pennington, Ebanks-Landell, Williams; Daniels, Walker (Davis, 30), Norburn © (Edwards, 80), Vela, Ogbeta; Whalley (Chapman, 80), Udoh (Main, 73).

Subs not used: Burgoyne, Goss, Pyke.

Hull City (4-3-3):

Ingram; Coyle ©, Burke, Greaves, Elder; Jones, Docherty, Honeyman; Whyte (Magennis, 45), Lewis-Potter (Crowley, 75), Wilks (Eaves, 90).

Subs not used: Long, Scott, Emmanuel, Slater.

Referee: Gavin Ward

Attendance: Zero