Oxford United 1 Shrewsbury Town 1 - Report and pictures

After 75 minutes of relentless Shrewsbury pressure and some stunning football, the uninspiring hosts looked to have nicked it with a scrappy goal.

But there was sub Payne, for the second week running to snatch a leveller, the bare minimum the visitors deserved as they continued this scintillating start to League One - easily looking better than their well-fancied hosts.

Talk pre-match was about setting a new club record four straight opening wins, they didn’t secure that but Town are still unbeaten and gave one of the promotion favourites the ride of their lives.

Town’s team featured just one change from the side that deservedly beat Rochdale last week, as Louis Dodds - who Hurst insisted would remain a Shrewsbury player this summer, dropping out for debutant Ben Godfrey.

The 19-year-old, signed on-loan from Norwich just two days earlier, lined up in central midfield alongside Abu Ogogo and Jon Nolan.

The Canary youngster is a more defensive-minded player than Dodds as Shrewsbury hoped the selection would limit the attacking prowess of their much-fancied hosts.

It was immediately obvious Godfrey had been tasked to marshall the diminutive Jack Payne, on-loan from Premier League Huddersfield, one of League One’s standout players in the early weeks of the season.

But the hosts were showing just why they were admired by many, some immaculate long and short passing pulling and probing Shrewsbury one way and another.

A wayward Ricardinho volley aside, the opening quarter of an hour passed without chances but not without much to admire. Town looked organised and determined to not let United settle, while offering a threat of their own through Shaun Whalley and Nolan.

Carlton Morris was a willing worker, as ever, while Godfrey was impressing on debut, winning challenges all over the park.

Things really kicked into life after 20 minutes, the presence of skipper Ogogo and James Bolton were enough to deny ex-Wolves man Mike Williamson a free shot inside the box.

Town didn’t hang around, powering down the other end Nolan released Whalley who charged into the Oxford box before being bundled over by Ricardinho. Town expected a whistle but nothing came from Mr Kinseley.

By half an hour there was only side threatening and it was Hurst’s charges in their luminous orange kit.

Oxford’s crowd knew they were in a game as Salop purred, playing some terrific football and not letting their hosts rest a second in possession.

Superb chances came and went for Town, Morris went inches wide with his back to goal while Rodman’s header - following one of the moves of the season involving Brown and Nolan - was well blocked.

Town were not slowed down by the half-time break and let rip at Oxford as the second period got underway. The visitors dictated play, won every loose ball, often stringing dozens of passes together.

Not only were they controlling, they were busting into goalscoring positions and making a creaking Oxford defence rock.

They went close through Ogogo, who failed to get his shot away when well-placed and Nolan, whose shot was deflected wide.

Key moments then arrived at both ends. First a rare bit of home pressure, sub Jon Obika waltzed around Sadler but his angled low finish was kept out by a low Henderson save - his first of the afternoon on the hour mark.

A long ball over the top was chased by the ever-committed Morris, who won the race with his defender and goalkeeper, getting a left foot to the bouncing ball and lifting it over the stranded Eastwood.

Time stopped still as the ball hovered in the air before bouncing down onto the goal line and up onto the crossbar and away. It looked in but the officials were unmoved.

Town were seemingly getting closer and Rodman’s fierce drive was denied by a sprawling Eastwood save.

You wondered if, as often in football, these would return to bite Shrewsbury on their backside.

And 15 minutes from time in a thrilling encounter there was just that. Sadler’s misguided header led to an Oxford corner that swung in and caused mayhem.

Brown cleared once from the line before Van Kessel turned it home via the post. A goal horribly undeserved.

Chris Doig animatedly waved his arms in crazy fashion on the touchlines, telling Town to go again.

And go again they did as Hurst’s subs worked a treat.

Fine, fine work from Rodman on the left as he bursts beyond the hapless Christian Ribeiro, onto the byline, with a deep cross towards Lenell John-Lewis.

He couldn’t get his feet right and had a shot blocked but there was Payne, last week’s hero from the bench, to finish an easy tap-in. So, so deserved.

With the wind in their sails Town went again as an offside flag denied John-Lewis.

Payne twice went close in added time, one almost an open goal where he should’ve made Town history, but these supporters didn’t care as Town were mightily impressive again.

Key moments

7 - Oxford full-back Ricardinho strikes well over following a flowing move by the hosts.

20 - Mike Williamson looks set to pull the trigger for Oxford but Abu Ogogo and James Bolton to just enough for Town. Shrewsbury break and Jon Nolan releases Shaun Whalley, the winger is bundled over by Ricardinho inside the area but the referee is unmoved.

23 - A move from the training ground as Whalley’s free-kick chip releases Nolan but, from an angle, his low drive is saved by Simon Eastwood.

28 - Big chance. Whalley’s intense high pressure wins the ball, he gets it back from Carlton Morris out wide and Alex Rodman nods Whalley’s cross down for striker Morris who swivels and smashes his volley inches wide.

30 - Fine last ditch tackle from the impressive Ben Godfrey to deny Gino Van Kessel getting through.

33 - Superb flowing move from Town! Junior Brown and Nolan dance down the left, exchanging passes, and Brown’s cross looks perfect for Rodman, whose goalbound header is blocked by Williamson.

52 - Morris is inches from connecting to Whalley’s right-sided free-kick.

55 - Nolan has a shot deflected wide for a corner before Abu Ogogo can’t get his shot away after being found in the box.

60 - Very rare effort from the hosts as Dean Henderson saves from Ryan Ledson from distance.

63 - Then Henderson is called into real work. Sub Jon Obika dances past Sadler and powers a finish towards the corner but the on loan Manchester United man make a fine save.

65 - Incredible moment as Morris races onto a high ball, beats the keeper and lobs the stranded Eastwood only for the ball to bounce on the line and up onto the bar. It looked in.

72 - Rodman draws a fine flying save from Eastwood after cutting in from the right.

75 - Goal Oxford. Sickener. Needless corner. Scramble and Gino Van Kessel finds the corner.

84 - SHREWSBURY GOAL!!! The equaliser is so well deserved. Rodman does ever so well on the left, reaches the byline and his fine cross has sub Lenell John-Lewis free at the back post. His shot is blocked and there is Stefan PAYNE, the substitute hero for a second week running.

90+3 - How has Payne missed? A sitter, he kicked it onto the other foot!

Teams

Oxford United (4-4-1-1):

Eastwood; Ribeiro, Williamson, Nelson ©, Ricardinho; Hall (Obika, 58), Ledson, Ruffles, Henry (Rothwell, 58); Payne, Van Kessel

Subs not used: Shearer, Tiendalli, Martin, Xemi

Shrewsbury Town (4-2-3-1):

Henderson; Bolton, Nsiala, Sadler, Brown; Ogogo ©, Godfrey (John-Lewis, 75); Whalley, Nolan, Rodman; C Morris (Payne, 72)

Subs not used: MacGillivray, Godfrey, Dodds, Gnahoua, Adams.

Referee: Nicholas Kinseley

Attendance: 7,120 (442 away fans)

Star man - Ben Godfrey

Table - 3rd (10 points from four games)