Fleetwood Town 0-0 Shrewsbury Town
Fleetwood Town kept a clean sheet but were unable to find a break through as they drew 0-0 at home with Shrewsbury Town.The Cod Army created numerous goal scoring opportunities but were unable to find a break through on a cold Sunday afternoon at Highbury Stadium.
Manager Steven Pressley made six changes for the game against the Shrews.
Eggert Jonsson, Nick Haughton, Jamille Matt, Joe Davis, Bobby Grant and David Henen all dropped out as Devante Cole, David Ball, Ashley Hunter, Alex Kiwomya, Stevie Jordan and Tyler Forbes all came in.
Jonsson, Matt and Davis were all ruled out through injury, joining Antoni Sarcevic, Jimmy Ryan and Danny Andrew on the sidelines.
Former Town men Junior Brown and Andy Mangan lined up for the visitors, managed by Micky Mellon.
McLaughlin, playing as part of a three man midfield alongside Nirennold and Ball, danced away from two yellow and blue shirts in the 12th minute to thread a pass to Hunter.
The striker, fresh after his goal on Thursday against Barnsley, blasted an effort from the right to the near post, but Jayson Leutwiler made the vital save.
Shrewsbury were looking a threat of their own with a couple of half chances falling their way before a big opportunity arose in the 22nd minute.
Town handed possession to the visitors inside their own half and they broke away with as Shaun Whalley forced a good save out of Chris Maxwell from close range and the striker couldn’t follow up on the rebound.
Moments later, Hunter had his second sight on goal as Kiwomya’s pace and cut back pass opened up space for the young striker but he wasn’t able to connect cleanly with the ball.
On the half hour mark, Amari’i Bell came inches away from his first goal in Fleetwood Town colours but his right footed effort creeped over the cross bar from 20-yards.
A big chance fell to both sides before the interval. First, Jean-Louis Akpa-Akpro manoeuvred space in the box to head goal bound, Maxwell getting down low to his left to make the stop.
One minute later, neat play by Town saw Kiwomya feed possession to Ball, the Cod Army’s number 23 in a spectacular position to score the opener, but blazed over from point blank range.
Four minutes into the second half, Cole nearly got his name on the Fleetwood Town score sheet for the very first time. Forbes and Hunter linked up on the right for the latter to direct an early cross to the front post as Cole got in front of his marker to side foot over with a first time effort.
The conditions were certainly playing a part at Highbury Stadium with the rain constantly coming down and the wind speed high.
Town’s first change came in the 60th minute, David Henen replacing Chelsea youngster Kiwomya. Unfortunately Nathan Pond’s afternoon came to a premature end as the skipper pulled up with an injury, as Marcus Nilsson came on as his replacement.
Henen, looking for his first goal since his return from Everton, had an effort saved by the goalkeeper’s feet in the 70th minute after a clever run from Bell to initially set up the chance.
Late on, Abu Agogo had a late chance to nick the points for the Shropshire side, firing wide from close range after a scramble in the Fleetwood Town penalty box but the game finished 0-0.