Shrewsbury Town 1-2 Walsall: Priestley Farquharson brace sinks Salop and ends unbeaten run
Shrewsbury Town’s unbeaten run came to an end with a 2-1 defeat to local rivals Walsall.
Defender Priestley Farquharson bagged a brace for the visitors to inflict the first home defeat at the Meadow under Gavin Cowan.
Iwan Morgan’s sweet free-kick on the cusp of half-time had levelled for the hosts, but Walsall were on top after the break, sealing a significant victory for former Town defender Mat Sadler and his side.
Josh Ruffels was sent off in stoppage time as Town failed to secure six wins in a row for the first time in three years - and remain 11 points clear of the League Two relegation zone.
Cowan made one change for the clash, with Sam Clucas returning from a hamstring injury to replace Tommy McDermott in the starting XI.
Meanwhile, Walsall made three changes as they looked to halt a run of seven matches without a victory.
Shrewsbury were unbeaten in their previous six league meetings with Walsall, though five had ended in draws - including the 1-1 stalemate in the reverse fixture in December.
The atmosphere was electric ahead of kick-off and the contest began at a lively tempo. It was clear Salop were brimming with confidence, arriving as the most in-form side across English football’s top four divisions.
