Shrewsbury Town 0 Doncaster Rovers 2 - Report

Former striker Fejiri Okenabirhie returned to haunt Shrewsbury as defensive errors cost Town dear in defeat to Doncaster, who recorded a first win in 10 games.

Troubled Rovers had lost five on the spin but put that run right at Montgomery Waters Meadow, where Okenabirhie and Taylor Richards were gifted goals from desperately poor Shrewsbury defensive lapses.

Town were carved open in the 4-1 defeat at Oxford in midweek and conceded more soft goals against one of League One’s struggling sides.

Okenabirhie, sold to Doncaster in January 2020, opened the scoring after 15 minutes, following a poor Ro-Shaun Williams error with a goal totally against the run of play. Steve Cotterill’s men impressed in a positive first half but were unable to make their dominance count.

Williams was substituted off at the break after a troubled first half, but the hosts struggled as an attacking force in the second period as Doncaster worked well on the counter and came on stronger as the contest went on as Town's influence tailed off badly.

Salop’s struggles were confirmed by the absent manager’s decision to introduce 18-year-old academy striker Charlie Caton for his league debut ahead of Curtis Main and Rekeil Pyke, who was left out altogether.

And Caton had been on just minutes when Williams’ half-time replacement Brad Walker this time cost his side with another error which was clinically punished.

Town, who were so solid defensively in reaching the landmark 50 points with a goalless draw at Gillingham last week, have since conceded six poor goals in two games and, having dropped to 18th in midweek, their season looks like petering out now safety is all-but secured.

Shrewsbury meekly handed mid-table Doncaster a first win since early March and Cotterill, who prides his sides on not losing back-to-back games, will no doubt want improvements at home to Wigan on Tuesday, with four of the last six games to come at the Meadow.

Having rotated between their two top goalscorers Harry Chapman and Shaun Whalley over the last six weeks or so, Cotterill opted to pair the attacking pair together for the first time since losing at home to Fleetwood on March 6.

Daniel Udoh also returned to the Town frontline, coming in for Main for the lunchtime kick-off, which was brought forward ahead of HRH The Duke of Edinburgh Prince Philip’s funeral at 3pm.

Town also shuffled their pack further back in the side, Donald Love was dropped to the bench after a tough evening in patches in the defeat at Oxford on Tuesday.

He was replaced in that role rather surprisingly by midfielder David Davis, who played the position for the first time in Town colours.

Matthew Pennington, Ethan Ebanks-Landell and Williams remained at centre-half.

Aaron Pierre and Josh Daniels (both calf) remained sidelined with injury. Sean Goss was a surprising omission from the matchday squad. Town included 18-year-old highly-rated academy striker Charlie Caton on the bench ahead of Rekeil Pyke.

Visitors Doncaster arrived amid a difficult slump in form. Having lost boss Darren Moore at the beginning of March, Rovers had lost five on the spin and seven from nine heading to Shrewsbury, going winless in that period.

Interim player-manager Andy Butler, the vastly experienced 37-year-old defender, named himself in the starting line-up for the first time in his two months tenure.

Also involved was the evergreen 40-year-old favourite frontman James Coppinger. Former Town striker Okenabirhie made his first return to Salop since being sold to Rovers in January 2020.

When Pierre’s header handed Shrewsbury a fine 1-0 win at the Keepmoat Stadium, Doncaster were second and could’ve been top of the tree on Christmas Day with a win.

After a minute’s silence for Prince Philip was immaculately observed at a sun-kissed Meadow, the home side made a bright start.

Cotterill’s side moved the ball well and an overhit Davis cross was retrieved by Nathanael Ogbeta, who played a low cross into Chapman who was unable to get a decent contact with his left foot some eight yards from goal.

Josh Vela sent a rising drive over from 25 yards out as Town remained on the front foot. Chapman was just unable to find Whalley inside the box moments later as the hosts immediately won it back.

Chapman curled a 30-yard free-kick at goalkeeper Ellery Balcombe before Whalley spun expertly away from John Bostock before firing over from outside the box.

The home side had started really well and had the low-on-confidence visitors on the ropes. Defender and boss Butler had been forced into a couple of early fouls.

But, in the blink of an eye and entirely against the run of play, Doncaster were gift-wrapped an opener on a silver platter.

Williams’ pass back to defensive colleague Ebanks-Landell appeared short but it was an untimely slip from the latter that played Doncatser in.

Okenabirhie accepted the gift, as he scampered in on goal, narrowing the right angle before sending an accomplished finish across Matija Sarkic and into the corner.

Williams’ underhit pass was punished, as was Ebanks-Landell for losing his footing and Town for switching off again following another bright start.

Shrewsbury went straight back on the front foot as they continued to dominate play but their goal threat that was there early on dried up.

A lot was asked of unrecognised right wing-back Davis, a clear advanced target when Shrews played forward, but also expected to track the lively Josh Sims.

Chapman almost sprinkled some gold dust on the proceedings on the half hour. Some delightful skill saw him lift the ball over a midfield counterpart before smashing a 30-yard half-volley at Balcombe.

Moments later Shrewsbury went closest yet to an equaliser. Ebanks-Landell began the move well with a diagonal pass to Whalley, whose control helped him dart into the box and pull back for Ogbeta.

Ogbeta was well-placed but his fierce first-time strike grazed the crossbar on its way over.

Doncaster were clearly second-best but carried a threat as Coppinger stung Sarkic’s palms from the narrowest of angles.

Shrewsbury continued to create decent openings. A well-worked short corner was only half-cleared by the visitors but Davis could only stretch to send a left-footed effort a few inches over.

Town were denied a Whalley penalty appeal shortly before the break, while Williams had to recover from another loose pass that gifted Doncaster a break.

Cotterill decided to change things at the break and introduced fit-again Walker for Williams in the back three.

Chapman again appeared to be the spark in the Shrewsbury side.His quick feet dazzled a Doncaster defender before a neat one-two with Whalley led to a curled strike flying well off-target.

The on-loan Blackburn star was visibly frustrated with his latest effort not troubling Balcombe.

Town still had the majority of the ball but struggled to create openings at the same rate as they did before the break as frontman Udoh struggled to get into the game.

The hosts got away with one as Rovers broke on their set-piece, led by Okenabirhie, but having gone two-on-two into the Shrews box, Sims slipped at the crucial moment. Doncaster worked the counters well.

Okenabirhie had enjoyed his return to Shropshire and was fractions from burying a telling second.

Having been picked out from the right by sub Tyreece John-Jules, the ex-Salop man fizzed a low left-footed reverse finish inches wide of Sarkic’s left-hand post. The keeper was motionless.

Shrewsbury had tailed off some way following the hour mark and struggled to impose themselves at all as the contest ticked beyond the second half’s midway point.

Town needed to change something and it was telling that Cotterill, watching on from afar, turned to highly-rated 18-year-old Caton from the bench for his league debut with 15 minutes left.

“Confidence Chaz” was the call from Town sub Dave Edwards as the youngster took his place up front.

Salop had a rare flurry forward through a couple of dangerous Ogbeta balls into the box, but before they knew it the game was done and dusted.

And once again the hosts were undone by a needless and hapless defensive error.

Walker, who had impressed since coming on at the break, was the guilty party this time. The midfielder was caught on the ball in his defensive position.

Okenabirhie took on possession and was scythed down by Walker, but referee Andy Davies allowed play on with Richards charging through on goal and the Brighton loanee lifted a cool finish high beyond Sarkic.

The error summed up Town’s afternoon. Blue and amber heads had dropped as Doncaster sighted a rare victory.

It could’ve been worse for Shrewsbury straight from the resulting restart as Walker again lost the ball, allowing John-Jules on goal this time, but the forward could only send his lob wide of the goal.

But Doncaster had done their job and a very welcome return to winning ways was secured for the South Yorkshire visitors, for Salop it is time to ensure that momentum is lost in a poor run to end the campaign.