Northampton 2 Shrewsbury 1: Salop bow out of EFL Trophy after second defeat in four days

Salop arrived in Northampton knowing the calculations were simple - to progress in the competition, they'd need to win in 90 minutes. Having passed up a host of chances in either half, and having conceded one particularly soft goal in the closing stages, it was by no means that the visitors here were outclassed - indeed they'll leave wondering what might've been.

Tommy McDermott did score an excellent equalising goal to cancel out Kamamrai Swyer's stunner in the first half, but Conor McCarthy popped up in the final quarter of an hour to decide the tie.

Michael Appleton made four changes to the starting XI after Salop's five-match unbeaten run was ended at Crewe Alexandra at Gresty road on Saturday; Tom Anderson, Mal Benning, Tommy McDermott and Jon Marquis were all recalled, while there was a place on the bench for 16-year-old Northern Ireland youth international Tom Hill, who was included in a senior matchday squad for the first time.

The first major moment of the first half, which was played out in driving rain, from either side was delivered by Salop, who recycled a corner which was only half cleared.

Anthony Scully collected the ball on the edge of the penalty area and, having dropped the shoulder to lose his man, slipped in Marquis who was brilliantly denied by keeper Lee Burge, with his low shot appearing destined for the far corner.

Burge would again come to the Cobblers' aid a moment later, this time holding Salop at bay with his face no less, when a low cross from the right hand side was turned goalward by Luca Hoole.

Shrewsbury would be made to pay for not taking advantage of those carved out chances, because they fell behind just before the half hour mark - albeit to a moment of brilliance. Northampton captain Michael Jacobs wandered in off the left and spread the ball to Jack Perkins, who in turn fed Swyer out on the left. Allowed the space to cut inside, the winger bent a shot from almost 25 yards into the far corner, beyond the fully stretched Will Brook.

The response, though, was a positive one from Salop, who almost teased an equaliser through Scully and then manufactured an exquisite move which was finished off by McDermott after Marquis had created room with some excellent centre forward play. While the striker might've been awarded a penalty for the foul he was on the receiving end of in the build up, Burnley loanee McDermott made no mistake with his finish to draw the visitors level.

Northampton, perhaps to be expected given their divisional superiority, rather controlled the early proceedings of the second half but they never came any closer than when winger Kyle Edwards curled a left-footed shot wide of Brook's far post. Then, Shrewsbury sparked into life at the other end.

Marquis was set away but with Burge to beat he couldn't pick either side of the keeper and instead struck his torso. When Northampton failed to clear their lines, Josh Ruffels cutely picked out Scully with a reverse pass but he could only beat the far post from close range, too. At that stage, Appleton rolled the dice and went for his bench, making a triple substitution in search of a precious winning goal.

They were undone, though, with a simple, direct dead ball forwards. A Northampton free kick from just inside their own half made its way all the way through to left-back McCarthy, who was able to bring the ball under his control and fire past Brook from close range.

The Shrews did go close again at the death, though; substitutes Chuks Aneke and George Lloyd combined in the penalty area and the latter rattled the post, before Hoole again found himself in the penalty area, picked out by Ismeal Kabia from the right hand side but denied by a deflection from close range.

Ultimately Salop's efforts weren't enough on the night, and now all attention turns to what is a crucial meeting with Newport County in League Two this Saturday.

Teams

Shrewsbury Town: Brook; Sang (Kabia 77), Hoole, Anderson, Stubbs, Benning (Clucas 66); Perry (England 80), Ruffels, McDermott (Aneke 66), Scully (Lloyd 66); Marquis

Substitutes not used: Gray, Hill

Northampton Town: Burge; Burroughs (Guthrie 80), McCarthy, List, Swyer, Thorniley, Jacobs (Eaves 59), Perkins, Edwards (McGeehan 67), Taylor

Substitutes not used: Willis, Tomlinson, Fitzsimons, Evans

GOALS

Northampton - Swyer 29, McCarthy 78; Shrewsbury - McDermott 37

Attendance: 802 (85 away supporters)