Shrewsbury 1 Portsmouth 1 - Report

The sides cancelled each other out in a feisty clash at Montgomery Waters Meadow as Pompey's Marlon Pack scored late on to salvage a point for the visitors after Rob Street's header had earlier given Town the lead.

A Shrewsbury team blighted by injuries named a bench where no player had made a single senior League One appearance before the game but Town were bright in a first half that ended all square.

Chey Dunkley and Taylor Moore went close for Town but both saw efforts saved by Matt Macey.

Moore had to be on his toes in his own box too. He made a wonderful block to stop Reeco Hackett from finishing after Marko Marosi had spilt an effort.

And despite Town really pushing for the opener at the back end of the 45 minutes - they had not managed to find a way through by the time the half-time whistle came.

Seven minutes after the restart Town were deservedly ahead when Rob Street headed in Elliott Bennett's curling cross after a swift counter-attack on the visitors.

And it could have been two when Killian Phillips went through on goal, but he was denied by the goalkeeper's legs.

Town were made to pay when Marlon Pack nodded home from close range in the final stages and to make matters worse Salop were reduced to 10 men when Tom Flanagan was sent off.

ANALYSIS

A depleted Shrewsbury were looking to break the consecutive losing streak when they welcomed Portsmouth to a sunny Montgomery Waters Meadow.

Matthew Pennington became the latest Salop player to be ruled out with injury, and Cotterill had to change the shape as result.

The boss went with a 4-3-3. Dunkley partnered Tom Flanagan in the centre of defence with Moore at right back and Jordan Shipley playing on the left.

It was a midfield three of Luke Leahy, Carl Winchester and Killian Phillips.

Tom Bloxham played on the left, Bennett came back in on the right and Street led the line up front on his own.

It was a quiet opening 20 minutes in Shropshire as Shrews and Pompey both eased their way into the clash.

Joe Pigott went the closest for the visitors when he curled the ball onto the roof of the Town net after it took a deflection, but there was little else in the way of goal-mouth action.

Town saw appeals for a penalty waved away by referee Tom Nield when Elliott Bennett was nudged over in the area but it would have been a soft one.

Carl Winchester, who had been bright in the opening half an hour, required treatment after picking up a knock on his calf - another injury was not what they needed but the midfielder soldiered on.

Referee, Tom Nield picked up a calf problem just after the half-hour mark and had to be replaced by Billy Smallwood, the fourth official.

He was called into immediate action when Marlon Pack, who had already been booked, stopped a Salop counter-attack, but the referee decided against giving him a second yellow.

Moments later, Moore went close when his volley was knocked behind by Matt Macey and from the resulting corner, Chey Dunkley forced the keeper into another stop.

Moore was called into action at the other end too when Marosi spilt a shot he put in a goal-saving challenge to deny Reeco Hackett.

Town built up a head of steam towards the end of the half and were the ones in the ascendancy, but they could not turn it into a goal, and it was all square at the break.

Dunkley, Bennett and Street all went close with half chances after the restart as Shrews started brightly again.

And it was Salop who struck first with a wonderful goal. Bennett won the ball back after Sean Raggett had lost possession, he carried it to the edge of the box and put in a wonderful curling ball for Street.

He got in front of the defender and headed beyond Macy as it went in off the post giving Town a deserved lead.

Town could have doubled their lead when Phillips went through on goal, but he was denied by Macy when he ought to have scored with his left foot.

As you would expect, the visitors did grow into the game as it wore on and they searched for an equaliser.

Crosses were put into Town's box but it was a blue and amber shirt that would get there first to head the ball away.

Pompey did get their equaliser when Pack headed home a corner in the 82nd minute, Flanagan was booked for keeping hold of the ball.

And moments after the resumption the defender was sent off for a second foul.

In the closing stages, Josh Barlow came on for his League One debut and Town held on for a draw.

Teams

Shrews: Marosi, Moore, Dunkley, Flanagan, Shipley, Leahy, Winchester, Phillips, Bennett, Street (Barlow 89), Bloxham.

Subs: Burgoyne, Craig, Barlow, Hutchings, Hearnes, Owusu.

Portsmouth: Macey, Robertson, Ogilvie, Pack, Tunnicliffe, Bishop, Pigott (Lane 64), Dale (Scarlett 64), Rafferty, Hackett (Jacobs 64), Raggett

Subs: Oluwayemi, Thompson, Jacobs, Bernard, Towler