Shrewsbury Town 1-1 Fleetwood Town
Ashley Hunter grabbed a deserved equaliser in the 85th minute, 20 seconds after coming on, as Town drew 1-1 at Shrewsbury Town on Boxing Day.The Cod Army endured the worst possible start as they found themselves a goal down after six minutes, after Jordan Clark converted after a goalmouth scramble.
However, Fleetwood created numerous goal scoring opportunities, missing two one-on-ones and hitting the bar, as Shrewsbury’s goalkeeper claimed the Man of the Match, the story of the game!
Steven Pressley named an unchanged squad for the trip to Shropshire, with former Salop man Bobby Grant deployed up top with David Henen and David Ball.
Clark put the home side ahead early on, as the visitors failed to clear their lines and the youngster’s strike beat Chris Maxwell.
Town responded well after going behind, and went close through captain Nathan Pond who couldn’t quite direct a corner at the back post past Mark Halstead.
Henen was proving a handful for the Shrews defence, and made a couple of dangerous runs down the flanks as his side looked for a way back into the game.
Amari’i Bell then burst down the left hand side as he played Ball in, who crossed for Conor McLaughlin but he dragged an effort wide.
Bell played an important part at the other end moments later, as he blocked Scott Vernon’s sweet strike from the edge of the box.
Town were presented with their best chance of the contest after half an hour, when Ball went through one on one only to be denied by Halstead.
Vernon almost got his head to Junior Brown’s free kick just before the break, but the former Cod Army winger’s cross evaded the striker in the box.
After the interval, midfielder Ian Black went the closest for the home side, as his effort from distance went just wide of Maxwell’s post.
Salop threatened again through Clark, who cut in from the left but dragged his shot off target from the edge of the area.
Pond then rose highest in the box on the hour mark to meet Grant’s in-swinging corner, but his crashing header hit the bar and went over.
On-loan Reading man Tariqe Fosu and striker Jamie Proctor were then both introduced shortly after, with Grant and Ball making way.
The momentum was starting to swing Town’s way, and Proctor played in Henen down the left who saw his fierce effort fly just over.
Henen later drew a smart stop out of Halstead as his shot from the near post was kept out as the Cod Army rallied for an equaliser.
Town cranked up the pressure as corners kept on flowing but Halstead in the Shrewsbury Town goal was in excellent form.
Pressley’s last throw of the dice from the bench was the speedy Ashley Hunter, the former Ilkeston man coming on Jonsson as FTFC went four up top.
And with his first touch, Hunter tucked the ball away with a beautiful finish after Fosu rounded the defender to let the attacker in.
In added time, Hunter burst forward to release Fosu, the winger could only find the side netting as Town pushed frantically for a winning goal.
However, despite dominating the second half, Shrewsbury Town held on for a point as Town look forward to Wigan at home on Monday.