94th minute winner seals trip to Bristol City in Third Round
Two goals from Devante Cole and one in added time by Ashley Hunter ensured a thrilling comeback by Fleetwood Town and earned a Third Round tie at Bristol City.
Uwe Rosler's second half substitutions were at the heart of a magnificent second-half performance which brought a 3-2 victory after Jim O'Brien and Louis Dodds had given Shrewsbury a deserved lead.
The visitors were down to ten men for most of the second half after Adam El-Abd had been sent off for a foul on half-time substitute Aaron Amadi-Holloway.
Fleetwood made four changes from Saturday's win over Walsall. Eggert Jonsson, Jack Sowerby, Chris Long and Cole stepped up but Head Coach Rosler kept the 3-5-2 set-up which has proved successful of late.
After threatening Alex Cairns with an audacious shot directly from the kick off, Shrewsbury continued in lively vein through the opening minutes. Fleetwood's defence stood firm and Rosler's side began to come forward with Amari'i Bell, Cole and Bobby Grant making incisive runs, only for the final touch to desert the home side.
After 16 minutes, Nathan Pond was quick to react as former Cod, Junior Brown, got the better of Conor McLaughlin on the left wing. Fleetwood's captain denied Ivan Toney a chance at the near post.
Shrewsbury created the best chance, on 22 minutes. Toney ran on to a well-judged lob from midfield by Louis Dodds but last man Cian Bolger defended the situation well.
Shrews pressure paid off three minutes before the break when two players broke free and Jim O'Brien coolly converted the through ball past Cairns into the right-hand corner. It was no more than the visitors deserved and it gave them the half-time lead. Fleetwood's players left the field at the break having had no shots on goal.
Fleetwood reverted to a 4-3-3 formation for the second half, Amadi-Holloway replacing Joe Davis. There was drama immediately. Amadi-Holloway was brought down on the edge of the area by El-Abd and the Shrewsbury skipper was sent off in the 48th minute. Pond had a header saved by Jayson Leutwiler as Fleetwood sensed a way back into the game.
Shortly after, Pond received treatment for an ankle injury and left the field, having just been booked as well. George Glendon came on but before he had touched the ball, Shrewsbury went further ahead as Dodds struck firmly past Cairns from the inside right channel.
Fleetwood struck back after 63 minutes, a well-worked goal. Glendon fed Sowerby on the right and his cross was headed home by Cole. Sowerby, who was holding the back of his leg after the goal, was immediately replaced by Hunter.
Marshalled by Glendon, Fleetwood looked a different team to that which had started the game. Long should have brought them level, heading over the bar from a sumptuous cross by Hunter. With quarter of an hour left, Cole electrified the crowd with a strong run into the area and, soon after, changed the momentum even more in
Fleetwood's favour as he brought them level. A Cairns free-kick was flicked on by Amadi-Holloway and Cole finished the move in style. Rosler's substitutes had made a difference and ten-man Shrewsbury were having to work hard to stay in the cup tie. In the end, they went down at the death as Hunter slid Long's cross past Leutwiler. There was still time, nevertheless, for Shrewsbury to hit the post in the dying seconds through Dodds.
Fleetwood Town: Cairns, Davis, Pond (C), Bolger, McLaughlin, Sowerby, Jonsson, Grant, Bell, Long, Cole. Subs: Neal, Amadi-Holloway, Ball, Nirennold, Glendon, Hunter, Jakubiak.
Shrewsbury Town: Leutwiler, Sadler, Lancashire, Ogogo, Toney, Dodds, O'Brien, Brown, Smith, Deegan, El-Abd (C). Subs: Halstead, Riley, Black, Whalley, Grimmer, Waring, Jones.