Oxford United 4 Shrewsbury 1 - Report

The U’s tormented Town, who were well below their best on an evening they desperately lacked quality and were undone by a superior side.

It was a hard reality check for Salop, for whom only Harry Chapman showed his quality. Town dropped a place down from 17th for the first time in a couple of months.

Oxford, pushing for the play-offs, were gift-wrapped their first two goals for Rob Atkinson and Elliott Lee with statuesque Shrewsbury defending.

Chapman thumped in his seventh Town goal to provide hope after the break but Matty Taylor and Sam Long rounded off the scoring at a canter for the U’s, who made it 10 goals in a week and visit the Meadow for the reverse clash on May 1.

Town’s run of successive clean sheets ended on a chastening evening in Oxfordshire in which Shrewsbury players did little to show watching-on manager Cotterill why they should be a firm part of his plans next season.

Cotterill continued his rotation policy, opting to tweak his forward lines after Shaun Whalley and Daniel Udoh had a run of two games up front.

Chapman and Curtis Main came in to lead the Shrewsbury attack for the first time since the poor defeat at Northampton on Good Friday.

They were joined in the side by David Davis, elected ahead of Sean Goss as the more advanced of Town’s midfield three.

Brad Walker returned from a groin injury to take his place on the visitors’ bench, but there was still no place for defender Aaron Pierre, who continued to miss out owing to a calf concern.

Unsurprisingly, Karl Robinson went with an unchanged side to the side that thumped Crewe 6-0 on the road on Saturday.

Town travelled to the Kassam bidding to end a winless run of four matches at the U's, dating back to the Boxing Day win in 2014. The hosts still had a very faint chance at a late push to the League One play-off places.

Shrewsbury, though, had returned to form themselves with four points and two clean sheets from their last two and started brightly in the Oxfordshire spring sunshine.

The visitors were on the front foot from the off, midfielders Josh Vela and Ollie Norburn particularly busy down the left.

Vela had a low shot from the left side of the box gathered by goalkeeper Jack Stevens, who then unconvincingly parried away a Main cross as Town made progress down that flank.

The U’s suffered a blow as in-form attacker Brandon Barker, on loan from Rangers, limped off after just seven minutes. He was replaced by Mide Shodipo.

Shrews’ bright start was about to become a fading memory, as Robinson’s hosts began to take charge.

The Yellows have earned a reputation for moving the ball well in a fluid style, which meant the opener, straight from a corner on just 12 minutes, infuriated Town even further.

Former Wolves midfielder James Henry whipped in a delicious corner and big centre-half Atkinson rose to power home a bullet header, largely unchallenged, for his first Oxford goal, much to the joy of the loudly exaggerated fake crowd noise booming through speakers.

Shrewsbury, all of a sudden, were sluggish. The opener had knocked the wind out of them. Aaron Wilbraham and David Longwell were deep in discussion on the touchline as the hosts continued to play around their visitors.

Lee reached the byline too easily, leaving Ethan Ebanks-Landell for dead, but could only fire a cross into Matija Sarkic’ midriff.

Oxford flashed another effort wide from a corner before Lee was allowed in far too easily again but could only fire a rising drive over the top right angle.

The home side moved it well across the full width of the pitch.

Town’s only joy was through Chapman, who showed neat touches and close control but was starved of service.

Nathanael Ogbeta got away with a rare sloppy pass as U’s right-back Long dragged wide across goal.

The pressing kept coming though and the deficit grew nine minutes before the break. Shodipo was allowed to cross from left and lively Luton loanee Lee was allowed to turn far too easily and pull a reverse finish that deceived Sarkic. The marking was far too slack.

Chapman was Town’s only outball. He started a move that ended in Main heading a Donald Love cross well over the top.

Blackburn loan star Chapman then charged half the length of the pitch before Oxford could finally smother him. Shrews ended the half slightly improved, but Love’s poor cross when played to the byline highlighted their lacking final quality.

Shrewsbury were due some sharp half-time works over the phone from their manager - and they seemed to have an effect.

The second half was just six minute old when star man Chapman thumped in at the near post after Ogbeta’s cross from the left.

The loan hero deceived his market with an excellent first touch before he crashed in a clean strike at the near post for 2-1.

Salop were much sharper after the interval, with Chapman leading the way. He stretched Stevens with another low strike from distance.

Oxford let their visitors off the hook on the hour, however, as Taylor broke clear from a Ro-Shaun Williams slip but the striker was denied one-on-one by Sarkic, who stood tall.

That was a warning and Town did not heed it. Moments later, after Love lost possession, Oxford thumped in a third. Taylor did not miss this time.

He buzzed on to a stunning Henry pass, with Shrews’ defensive line all over the place, and lashed in at the near post, his shot this time proving too hot for Sarkic to handle.

More was to come. It was four with 13 minutes left as Long squeezed into the top corner from an uncleared free-kick.

Even Chapman couldn’t provide late joy as he smacked the post at the death to sum up a night where Shrewsbury were very much second best.

Teams

Oxford United (4-3-3):

Stevens; Long (Forde, 86), Moore ©, Atkinson, Ruffels; Brannagan, Henry (Agyei, 74), Sykes; Lee (Hanson, 86), Taylor (Winnall, 74), Barker (Shodipo, 7).

Subs not used: Eastwood, Kelly.

Shrewsbury Town (3-5-2):

Sarkic; Pennington, Ebanks-Landell, Williams (Walker, 84); Love, Norburn © (Edwards, 90), Vela (Goss, 84), Davis, Ogbeta; Chapman, Main (Udoh, 84).

Subs not used: Burgoyne, Whalley, Pyke.

Referee: Sam Purkiss

Attendance: Zero