Shrewsbury 0 Plymouth 3 - Report

It is just the third time in their 71-year Football League history that Town have opened up in the league with four defeats - following 1982 and 1973 - and the first time they have remained goalless after that period.

Steve Cotterill’s men, who were booed at the death, have now racked up 360 minutes of league football without a goal and remain rock-bottom of the early standings.

Ryan Hardie fired a brace for visiting Plymouth, either side of strike partner Luke Jephcott’s effort.

Frustration grew as, in the fifth of five games in all competitions this season, the hosts conceded the first goal - this time in a first half in which they dominated.

Salop’s problems were laid bare in the first period, with 11 shots on goal and just one on target as they comfortably outplayed the Pilgrims with nothing to show for it due to wasteful finishing. Yet Plymouth, with one shot on target from two attempts, held the lead. Shrewsbury finished with one effort on target from 17.

Town, who played 4-4-2 for the second time this week, required a big second half but failed to repeat what they showed in the first period and conceded two more poor goals within 20 minutes of the restart.

Cotterill felt that a repeat of the performance in the 1-0 reverse at Portsmouth in midweek would be enough to get up and running in bringing wins more often than not, but his side failed to take advantage of a promising first half display.

The second half quickly got away from Salop, with fans left to wonder when the first league win would arrive after an extremely disappointing run of results to start the campaign.

Indeed, the handsome 3-0 win for Ryan Lowe’s men was the scoreline from Easter Monday’s Montgomery Waters Meadow clash between the two sides flipped on its head.

Seventeen-year-old Tom Bloxham impressed again in another start, while debutant Khanya Leshabela caught the eye with a late cameo.

Cotterill surprised onlookers ahead of the narrow defeat at Pompey in midweek by lining his players up in a 4-4-2 system.

His starting XI had supporters guessing again, as the boss opted for the same system, instead of the more regular 3-5-2.

Nathanael Ogbeta was drafted back into the starting line-up and was this time used on his more familiar left side, in an advanced left wing role.

Luke Leahy, the left-back summer acquisition from Bristol Rovers, started alongside Josh Vela in central midfield.

Teenage striker Bloxham kept his place in the starting line-up and was again used on the right of midfield.

There were eye-catching inclusions on the Town substitute’s bench, which included a first sighting of Thursday’s exciting loan signing from Leicester Leshabela.

He was joined by the returning Shaun Whalley and Ethan Ebanks-Landell, back from a hand injury and Covid-19 respectively, both having spent three games on the sidelines.

For the first time in three games Cotterill could name a full cohort of seven players on the bench and did not include two goalkeepers.

David Davis missed out through a knock he had been nursing through the week. Ryan Bowman continued to miss out with a hamstring problem.

Lowe’s Pilgrims had opened up their second season back in League One with a win, draw and defeat from three games.

Argyle, like Town, have made nine summer signings including, like Town, a new loan addition this week, winger Jordon Garrick, who started on the bench.

Brendan Galloway, almost a Shrewsbury player in January but for failing a medical, came into Lowe’s side for the suspended James Wilson.

Former Town players James Bolton and Niall Ennis were missing through injury. Newport-born ex-Shrewsbury goalkeeping academy graduate Callum Bench was substitute goalkeeper.

The away end in particular at the Meadow was buzzing with anticipation ahead of kick-off as the brilliantly-supported Pilgrims side, backing as always in great numbers, made themselves heard.

Salop were fortunate early on, as they were unable to clear a left-sided corner that almost dropped to both Galloway and Jephcott at the back post.

Town were noticeable in almost becoming an ultra-attacking 4-2-4 at times, particularly when the visitors played the ball out short from goalkeeper Michael Cooper to his defenders.

Leahy and Ogbeta combined well early on, with Vela busy in midfield and Bloxham a willing runner on the right flank, showing signs of impressive crossing ability too.

Shrewsbury carved out a decent first chance with 10 minutes gone. Loan striker Sam Cosgrove, making his home debut, made himself a nuisance from a free-kick but snatched at the shot when it fell to him kindly in space. It flew wide of Cooper’s near post.

Cosgrove went closer five minutes later with a tame low strike from outside the left of the Plymouth box. His daisy-cutter dragged just wide of the far post.

Town were well on top inside 20 minutes as the lively Udoh shot at Cooper from outside the box before Cosgrove, again, let a good chance get away from him when played in free in the box, but a poor first touch allowed Galloway to recover.

The latter was a key chance and, five minutes later, it was Lowe’s Plymouth who led.

It was another soft goal for Shrewsbury to concede. A couple of passes worked the Pilgrims into the box from the left side where Hardie was afforded too much room and the No.9 picked out the far corner with aplomb. It was the fifth time in five games this season Salop had fallen behind.

Salop responded well and got back on the front foot, with Cotterill geeing up his troops and substitutes warming up.

Bloxham continued to look sharp and dangerous down the right for the home side and chances continued to come the way of Blues loanee Cosgrove.

His third opening was a more difficult one but a fine left-footed snapshot from the edge of the box just missed the top left corner and crashed the stanchion.

Shrewsbury were all over their visitors as half-time approached. Plymouth struggled to get out of their own third, with Vela leading Shrewsbury’s effective pressure.

Another glorious chance came and went, this way to Ogbeta. A fine cross to the back post from skipper Elliott Bennett picked out Ogbeta, the youngster sold his defender a dummy before he blazed badly off target with his weaker right foot.

Town’s finishing cost them badly in a frustrating first period where they had mostly dominated and it almost punished them further, but thankfully for the hosts, Plymouth hotshot Luke Jephcott could only lift well over when presented a neat chance in the box against the run of play.

The half-time stats read one shot on target from 11 for Shrewsbury - who had passed 300 league minutes without a goal this season - and one shot on target from two for Plymouth.

Shrewsbury knew a big second half was required, but the start of the second half could hardly have been worse.

It was far too easy for Pilgrims midfielder Jordan Houghton to break through the centre of the pitch and feed Hardie, who managed to hold off defender Pennington - who was unable to recover - before he squared expertly for unmarked partner Jephcott, who could hardly miss from the middle of the box. The away end behind the goal boomed.

The second goal was a real boost to the travelling Argyle fans and their players as Town lost their way for a little while.

With the Salop crowd chanting Whalley’s name vociferously, Cotterill made his double change after the hour, introducing the No.7 and striker Rekeil Pyke.

But, within barely minutes, the game was done and dusted in Plymouth’s favour.

From a Shrewsbury corner and handball penalty claim against Galloway, the visitors broke in the blink of an eye and Jephcott sent colleague Hardie racing through alone in Town’s half from halfway.

The forward held off Bennett’s despairing challenge well, charged into the box and clipped a composed finish over Marosi for pure elation behind the goal.

Frustration grew around the Meadow as Plymouth scythed through Town for goals that, from a home point of view, were poor at best to concede.

Cotterill introduced Leshabela for a debut in the final 20 minutes in the hope of salvaging anything from the contest.

The league goal remained elusive as Leahy, who struggled centrally and was shifted back to the left, curled a free-kick from a narrow right angle off the woodwork at the far post.

The contest rather petered out, despite Town’s attempts towards the death of forcing that first league goal of the campaign. Leshabela was very bright and his input in the weeks to come feels vital.

For Town and Cotterill the wait for a league point, win and goal goes on as a miserable run of results continue.

Teams

Shrewsbury Town (4-4-2):

Marosi; Bennett ©, Pennington, Pierre, Nurse; Bloxham (Leshabela, 70), Vela, Leahy, Ogbeta (Whalley, 64); Cosgrove (Pyke, 62), Udoh.

Subs not used: Burgoyne, Ebanks-Landell, Caton, Daniels.

Plymouth Argyle (3-5-2):

Cooper; Gillesphey, Scarr, Galloway; Edwards ©, Houghton, Camara, Broom (Randall, 83), Grant (Law, 57); Hardie, Jephcott (Garrick, 88).

Subs not used: Burton, Cooper, Tomlinson, Shirley.

Referee: Paul Howards

Attendance: 5,737 (892 Plymouth fans)