Fleetwood Town coasted to a 3-0 win over Shrewsbury Town at the Montgomery Waters Meadow as they kicked off the New Year with three points.
It was a quickfire double in the first half and one more late on that secured the points on the afternoon; Admiral Muskwe converted his second spot kick in as many games to break the deadlock before Promise Omochere opened his account for Town with a poacher's finish from inside the area.
Captain Josh Vela made it three just before added time, which saw the Cods coast to their first victory of the year in Shropshire.
It took a while for both sides to find a foothold in the game as the first chance took 16 minutes to show itself. It was a wild effort from defender Josh Earl, whose eyes lit up on the edge of the box when the ball rolled to him, but his effort flew high and wide of the home side’s goal.
The game burst into life just after the 20-minute mark as Shaun Rooney saw his header from a corner smash against the inside of the post, before Brendan Wiredu’s effort on goal was blocked by Matt Pennington’s arm on the line, which resulted in a penalty and a red card for the defender.
For the second game in a row, the Cod Army saw Muskwe convert a spot kick and reel off towards the travelling support. Another was added three minutes later as Omochere netted his first for the club, showing poacher’s instincts in the box to slot past Marko Marosi from six yards out.
It could have easily been three on the half-hour mark as Danny Andrew stormed down the left and played a deep cross towards Town’s second goalscorer of the afternoon, with the Irishman heading the ball towards goal only for Jordan Shipley to throw his body in the way to stop a certain goal.
There was a chance apiece either side of the half with Wiredu putting all his weight behind a venomous strike from inside the area, which was blocked, before Rob Street had Shrewsbury’s first effort on goal four minutes after the break, nodding Taylor Moore’s cross over the bar.
Scott Brown’s side carried on pressing forwards in search of their third in the game, with Omochere providing a brilliant solo run in one attack – going from box to box, but Cian Hayes’ cross was blocked on that occasion. Soon after, Josh Vela had an effort on goal, but it was saved by Marosi.
As the game started to slow down, two more chances fell Town’s way – Andrew worked a yard of space on the edge of the box and hit the inside of the post with his shot and Josh Vela had one in the net four minutes later, but he was deemed to be in an offside position when shooting.
With the last chance of the game, it was Vela who would make it three on the night as substitute Carlos Mendes Gomes played the ball to him on the right, with the midfielder then driving in towards goal and firing into the bottom left - securing all three points on New Year's Day.
Salop XI: Marosi (GK), Leahy (C), Pennington, Moore, Winchester, Street (Pyke 69’), Bayliss (Bloxham 54’), Dunkley, Saydee, Shipley, Flanagan (Bennett 18’).
Unused subs: Burgoyne (GK), O’Brien, Barlow, Bailey.
Town XI: Lynch (GK), Andrew, Wiredu, Vela (C), Muskwe, Warrington, Omochere (Mendes Gomes 83'), Hayes (Morton 66’), Nsiala, Rooney (Johnston 58’), Earl.
Unused subs: Stolarczyk (GK), J.Garner, G.Garner, Batty.