Shrewsbury 3 Fleetwood 1 - Report
Shrewsbury Town ended their four-game losing streak with a deserved victory over League One strugglers Fleetwood on New Year's Day.
Nohan Kenneh's first goal in a Town shirt handed them the lead in the 9th minute converting after a scramble in the box.
It was an entertaining first half as Fleetwood responded from going behind as Josh Earl hit the post, and Shaun Rooney forced Marko Marosi into a good save both from set pieces.
Morgan Feeney could have doubled Town's lead, but his effort was by Jay Lynch. The keeper had been sent off during the return fixture earlier in the year, a game Town won 1-0.
But he was beaten again on the stroke of half-time as another deep corner was won by Feeney at the back post, only for it to hit captain Chey Dunkley and ricochet into the net.
Salop would have been happy with their two-goal advantage at the break but they would have been even more pleased when Jordan Shipley added a third just before mark - expertly finishing Tunmise Sobowale's cross.
The visitors still offered a threat in the second half and they did pull a goal back when Rooney converted from close range.
Marosi had produced an excellent stop to deny Phoenix Patterson from distance, but the rebound fell to his feet and he turned it in.
Fleetwood hit the post in the closing stages, and despite six minutes of time added on for Shrews to hold on - they registered a much-need morale-boosting victory.
ANALYSIS
Shrewsbury Town boss Matt Taylor made one change from the team that lost to Burton on Friday night.
Ryan Bowman coming in for Max Mata with Town playing the same 3-4-3 system they played at The Pirelli Stadium.
Taylor's Shrews have been short of goals all season and they had not scored over the festive period after 2-0 and 1-0 losses to Cheltenham and Burton Albion respectively.
But they were ahead in the ninth minute of the clash with Fleetwood as Kenneh capitalised on a bouncing ball in the box smashing it against the underside of the bar and in.
Town had looked bright in the opening exchanges as Jordan Shipley, operating on the left side again, saw a shot well-saved by Jay Lynch.
The clash was the first game of the Charlie Adam era for Fleetwood after he replaced Lee Johnson yesterday following a seven-game winless run in the league.
And they did threaten. Phoenix Patterson pulled a shot inches wide of the post when given time to turn on the edge of the box.
The Cod Army looked their most dangerous from a deadball position too. Shaun Rooney forced Marosi into a good save to his right, whereas Josh Earl headered the ball off the inside of the post, and it somehow stayed out.
Morgan Feeney has still not scored since he arrived in the summer from Carlise United, but he went close when he fired a deep corner towards goal only for Jay Lynch to save.
But he did get an assist in first-half stoppage time, again a deep corner he smashed it across goal and hit the skipper Dunkley in the face before rolling into the corner.
It was an entertaining opening 45 minutes at the Meadow as the hosts took a two-goal advantage in at the break.
Town's home form has been good all season with six of their eight League One wins before kick-off coming at the Croud Meadow.
Ryan Bowman almost made it three when he got on the end of Shipley's cross, but his back post header was denied by Lynch.
Town had only scored three times in the league once this season - and that was the 3-2 win against Reading.
Shipley made it the second time when he finished off a beautiful flowing move inside the penalty area.
Sobowale was the man to pull the ball back to him with a terrific cross and slotted it behind the helpless Lynch.
It looked as if the points were sewn up for Town with that third goal, but the visitors did get one back when Rooney converted from close range after Marosi had parried a shot from distance.
Former Derby striker Jack Marriott was introduced by Adam and he almost made it a nervy final few moments when he turned the ball onto the post.
That was moments after Marosi had produced a save from Callum Dolan's free-kick, but Town clung on to win.
Teams
Shrews: Marosi, Sobowale (Pierre 79), Feeney, Dunkley, Anderson, Benning, Kenneh, Bennett (Mata 79), Perry, Shipley (Bayliss 70), Bowman.
Subs: Burgoyne, Sraha, Pierre, Bayliss, Loughran, Mata, Whitney.
Fleetwood: Lynch, Wiredu (Hayes 62), Lawal, Vela, Stockley (Marriott 70), Quitirna, Heneghan, Dolan, Rooney, Earl, Patterson (Asamoah 70).
McMullan, Tshimanga, Marriott, Holgate, Hayes, Teale, Asamoah.
