Despite Ben Garrity's second half header, the Valiants fall to defeat in Shropshire
An early enforced substitution for the home side saw Tom Flanagan taken off the field before Shrewsbury had the first shot of the game. Max Mata was played through on goal but his strike from a tight angle inside the area was well saved by Connor Ripley. The resulting corner on 14 minutes saw Taylor Perry volley miles over from outside of the box.
The Valiants had the ball in the back of the net through Uche Ikpeazu on 21 minutes who side footed an effort beautifully into the bottom corner but referee Scott Tallis chalked the goal off for either an offside or foul off the ball.
And after Vale had goal ruled out at one end, just seven minutes later Shrewsbury took the lead through Mata as his header following a ball in from the left was headed home past Ripley.
We tried to answer back three minutes later but after meeting Ethan Chislett’s chipped cross, Ben Garrity’s header from inside the area looped over the bar.
On 41 minutes Chey Dunkley got on the end of a long arching ball following a free kick but after muscling his way through the Vale defence he put his effort wide of Ripley’s goal.
Three minutes into the second half and Shrewsbury doubled their lead. Dan Udoh turned past Nathan Smith as he entered the area before striking the ball against the underside of the bar which bounced into the net.
But the Valiants quickly regrouped and got themselves back into the game with a set piece on 57 minutes. After Chislett was hacked down on the edge of the area, Tom Sang produced a stunning ball into the box from the left and met Garrity who flicked it home past Marko Marosi to halve the deficit.
After the goal it was all Vale, corner after corner but we just couldn’t quite find the equaliser. Following another corner delivery on 62 minutes, the ball dropped to Gavin Massey at the back of the box but he could not find the target with his effort as he dragged it wide.
Two minutes later Alfie Devine had space 25 yards out and had a crack but his powerful shot just went over Marosi’s bar. That was followed by an effort from Funso Ojo on 64 minutes but he too could not test the home keeper.
Shrewsbury had their first effort after seeing their lead cut in half on the 70 minute mark. A nice move from the hosts saw Jordan Shipley played in but from a tight angle on the left he blasted his strike over the bar.
More pressure from the Valiants inside the last ten minutes of normal time. Another corner was swung in and cleared as far as Ojo on the edge of the area but the midfielder could not keep his shot down.
Shrewsbury Town | Marko Marosi, Morgan Feeney, Carl Winchester, Dan Udoh, Taylor Perry (46’ Mal Benning), Elliot Bennett (86’ Aaron Pierre), Chey Dunkley, Jordan Shipley, Max Mata (86’ Ryan Bowman), Tom Flanagan (8’ Joe Anderson), Nohan Kenneh
Unused Subs | Harry Burgoyne, Tunmise Sobowale, Jack Loughran
Port Vale | Connor Ripley, Tom Sang, Nathan Smith, Ben Garrity, Ethan Chislett (64’ Jason Lowe), Alfie Devine, Uche Ikpeazu (64’ Ryan Loft), Funso Ojo, Alex Iacovitti (64’ Jesse Debrah), Ollie Arblaster, Gavin Massey
Unused Subs | Jayson Leutwiler, Tom Conlon, James Plant, Rhys Walters