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Shrewsbury Town deservedly gained revenge for their early-season defeat at Edgar Street when they won 3-1 at The Prostar this afternoon.
John Trewick named an unchanged starting XI and the only squad change was Ryan Valentine replacing Sonko on the bench.
In a brisk start, The Shrews forced an early corner which was cleared and Craig King was a little unlucky to see the ball run out of play when put through by Pugh but it was The Bulls who stole the lead on four minutes. Kenny Lunt slid a ball between two defenders and Constantine shrugged off a challenge to fire home diagonally from inside the box. The home side responded with a succession of attacks producing a series of corners that were eventually to prove the undoing of the visitors. Former Bristol Rovers midfielder, Craig Disley’s accurate far post delivery had posed several questions of The Bulls rearguard before Kelvin Langmead rose to nod in with a quarter of an hour played. The goal came from the third identical Disley corner/Langmead header routine so questions will need to asked about not learning lessons while the game proceeds.
Shrewsbury continued to have the lion’s share of chances with The Bulls only rarely threatening on the break. McCallum released Constantine but the striker’s shot barely trickled into the keeper’s arms. Then, in the 25th minute, Shrewsbury doubled their advantage. Once again, it was a quality delivery into the box, this time from Steven Leslie who delivered the cross from a free kick and Candell-Sherriff glanced a header passed Bartlett from the edge of the six-yard box. At the other end, Pugh found Kenny Lunt but the midfielders effort was deflected wide.
HT Shrews 2 HUFC 1
The hosts were quickly out of the blocks in the second period with Hibbert drifting a header just wide. McCallum was upended on the flank but the resulting free-kick was lofted straight down the throat of ‘keeper Button. Trewick introduced Manset in place of King on 55 minutes in the hope of adding something to the ineffective Bulls strikeforce and the Frenchman’s unpredictable play seemed to unsettle the home defence for a while giving a short period of domination. Pugh was twice through but failed to find the net and a Manset effort from just outside the box tested Button who gathered at the second attempt. However, The Bulls increased pressure and possession still failed to produce any consistent threat on goal although there was a decent shout for a penalty with twenty minutes remaining. Pugh’s driven cross struck both hands of a defender but referee Sutton deemed it accidental. The Shrews wrapped the game up on 80 minutes when yet another set piece was converted. Constantine was marking Coughlin at the back post but failed to track the home defender when the ball fell into the six-yard box and Coughlin stabbed home from a couple of yards out. The final ten minutes produced a couple of efforts from both sides but the hosts finished the stronger looking outfit.
FT Shrews 3 HUFC 1
The Bulls were today badly exposed when defending set-pieces. They lacked height and strength in numbers when faced with the additional big men up from the back. The midfield huffed and puffed but were also out muscled and didn’t produce the quality of delivery into the danger area that Disley did although it has to be said that both Lunt and McQuilkin looked frustrated by the lack of movement up front particularly in the first half. Recent danger man McCallum looked isolated out wide and some may wonder why a player who scored so consistently is played so far away from the opponent’s goal. The attendance was 6098 with 689 from The Shire.
John Trewick named an unchanged starting XI and the only squad change was Ryan Valentine replacing Sonko on the bench.
In a brisk start, The Shrews forced an early corner which was cleared and Craig King was a little unlucky to see the ball run out of play when put through by Pugh but it was The Bulls who stole the lead on four minutes. Kenny Lunt slid a ball between two defenders and Constantine shrugged off a challenge to fire home diagonally from inside the box. The home side responded with a succession of attacks producing a series of corners that were eventually to prove the undoing of the visitors. Former Bristol Rovers midfielder, Craig Disley’s accurate far post delivery had posed several questions of The Bulls rearguard before Kelvin Langmead rose to nod in with a quarter of an hour played. The goal came from the third identical Disley corner/Langmead header routine so questions will need to asked about not learning lessons while the game proceeds.
Shrewsbury continued to have the lion’s share of chances with The Bulls only rarely threatening on the break. McCallum released Constantine but the striker’s shot barely trickled into the keeper’s arms. Then, in the 25th minute, Shrewsbury doubled their advantage. Once again, it was a quality delivery into the box, this time from Steven Leslie who delivered the cross from a free kick and Candell-Sherriff glanced a header passed Bartlett from the edge of the six-yard box. At the other end, Pugh found Kenny Lunt but the midfielders effort was deflected wide.
HT Shrews 2 HUFC 1
The hosts were quickly out of the blocks in the second period with Hibbert drifting a header just wide. McCallum was upended on the flank but the resulting free-kick was lofted straight down the throat of ‘keeper Button. Trewick introduced Manset in place of King on 55 minutes in the hope of adding something to the ineffective Bulls strikeforce and the Frenchman’s unpredictable play seemed to unsettle the home defence for a while giving a short period of domination. Pugh was twice through but failed to find the net and a Manset effort from just outside the box tested Button who gathered at the second attempt. However, The Bulls increased pressure and possession still failed to produce any consistent threat on goal although there was a decent shout for a penalty with twenty minutes remaining. Pugh’s driven cross struck both hands of a defender but referee Sutton deemed it accidental. The Shrews wrapped the game up on 80 minutes when yet another set piece was converted. Constantine was marking Coughlin at the back post but failed to track the home defender when the ball fell into the six-yard box and Coughlin stabbed home from a couple of yards out. The final ten minutes produced a couple of efforts from both sides but the hosts finished the stronger looking outfit.
FT Shrews 3 HUFC 1
The Bulls were today badly exposed when defending set-pieces. They lacked height and strength in numbers when faced with the additional big men up from the back. The midfield huffed and puffed but were also out muscled and didn’t produce the quality of delivery into the danger area that Disley did although it has to be said that both Lunt and McQuilkin looked frustrated by the lack of movement up front particularly in the first half. Recent danger man McCallum looked isolated out wide and some may wonder why a player who scored so consistently is played so far away from the opponent’s goal. The attendance was 6098 with 689 from The Shire.
Shrewsbury: Button, Langmead, Coughlan, Cansdell-Sherriff, Skarz, Neal L, McIntyre, Dunfield, Leslie, Disley (Robinson 69); Hibbert. Subs not used: Bright, Murray, C Neal, Richards, D Taylor, Taylor J.
Hereford: Bartlett, Gwynne, Downing, D Jones, Weir, Pugh, Lunt, McQuilkin, McCallum, Constantine, King (Manset 54). Subs not used: Adamson, Valentine, Lowe, C Jones, Done, Elford- Alliyu.