Shrewsbury 0 Burton 2 - Report
Shrewsbury Town fell to another desperate defeat as they were comfortably beaten by relegation rivals Burton Albion.
Salop, who have scored just one goal in their last six third-tier outings, lost for the sixth time in their last seven games, as a miserable season went from bad to worse.
Burton scored twice in the second half to win the clash at the Croud Meadow, and fans booed and chanted at full-time as they aired their frustrations on the club’s plight towards the directors.
Report
Shrewsbury Town boss Gareth Ainsworth threw caution to the wind with his team selection against Burton Albion.
He made four changes to the side that lost at Exeter seven days ago, bringing in Aaron Pierre, Jordan Shipley, David Wheeler and Taylor Perry.
George Nurse, Vadaine Oliver, Morgan Feeney and Alex Gilliead were the players to make way, as Salop switched to a 4-3-3 formation rather than the 3-5-2 they have used the most under Ainsworth.
As if Town’s situation was not bleak enough, they began the match 13 points from League One safety after Peterborough United beat Cambridge at Abbey Stadium in the lunchtime kick-off.
With both sides staring down the barrel of relegation, it was a surprise the opening half an hour was played with such little intensity.
The game’s first real chance came in the 27th minute when Shipley played a great ball to Wheeler. He kept it alive, and as it came to Dominic Gape on the edge of the box, but his shot was deflected over the bar.
Jon Dadi Bodvarsson has been in great form for the Brewers. He had scored four goals in his nine League One appearances since arriving at Burton, but he was forced off on the half-hour mark after picking up an injury. He was replaced by Mason Bennett.
The visitors went close through Rumarn Burrell when his flick, from a Kyran Lofthouse cross, went over the bar.
By far and away the clearest opportunity of the first 45 minutes went the way of Gary Bowyer’s side. Burrell was the provider this time as he crossed the ball to Bennett inside the six-yard box, in the centre of the goal, but somehow, when it seemed harder to miss than to score, he put it over the bar - it will be a contender for miss of the season.
Shipley fired just over the bar on the resumption after good play from Wheeler to get a cross in.
But once more Bennett found himself in the spotlight, when he missed his second sitter of the afternoon. Burrell put it on a plate for him again, from the opposite side this time, and he put it over the bar.
Ainsworth made a triple change midway through the second period bringing on Callum Stewart, Funso Ojo and Alex Gilliead.
In the end Burrell got fed up with putting it on a plate for Bennett and did it on his own. He got up highest to head in Owen Dodgson’s corner to give the Brewers the lead. Just like last week, Shrewsbury conceded from a set piece again.
The goal hit Shrewsbury hard and from that point onwards Burton were in complete control.
They added a second, again from a set piece, when Terence Vancooten stabbed home from close range.
Disgruntled Shrewsbury supporters chanted towards Roland Wycherley and director of football Micky Moore in the final stages of the clash as Salop wait for relegation to be confirmed.
Teams
Shrewsbury: Blackman, Hoole, J Feeney, Pierre, Benning, Biggins (Gilliead 65) , Gape, Perry (Ojo 65), Wheeler, Shipley (Stewart 65) , Lloyd (Oliver 70).
Subs: Young, M Feeney, Nurse.
Burton: Crocombe, Godwin-Malife, Dodgson, Sweeney, Webster, Bodvarsson (Bennett 30), Vancooten, Armer, Burrell, McKiernan (Chauke 75), Lofthouse.
Subs: Isted, Kalinauskas, Sraha, Delap, Forde.
