MATCH REPORT: Swindon Town (0) V (1) Shrewsbury Town

SWINDON TOWN failed to build on their mid-week victory as Shrewsbury Town ran out one-nil victors at the County Ground this afternoon. Read below as Total Sport Swindon’s Ryan Walker gives his match report from SN1.

Picture credit: Swindon Town FC

Harrison Chapman’s 25-yard strike was enough to secure victory for Shrewsbury as the Shropshire side won at Swindon for just the second time since 1961. 

A clash of heads between Shrewsbury centre-backs Ro-Shaun Williams and Ebanks-Landell in the 1st minute created some panic on the away touchline as both received lengthy treatment before being deemed safe to play on. 

Brett Pitman got the bette of the two defenders a moment later after rising highest in the box to meet Jordan Lyden’s cross, but his flick-on was just wide. 

Sean Goss looked to reply with a shot on target in the 8th minute but his effort was comfortably saved by Swindon keeper Mark Travers.

Operating in a 4-4-2 formation, Swindon were relentless in their press to disrupt the visitors from building any momentum, with Jordan Lyden, Matty Palmer, and Hallam Hope denying Shrewsbury’s midfielders time on the ball.

The Shropshire side continued to dominate on the ball and their quick passing soon began to wear down Swindon’s attackers as they were pulled over the pitch without ever managing to get a hold of the ball.

Good play presented Swindon with a great opportunity to open the scoring against the run of play in the 32nd minute as debutant Jordon Garrick flicked on Rob Hunt’s pass into the path of the unmarked Lyden inside the box who decided to try and play a cut-back for Garrick when the better option was to shoot. 

Shrewsbury made Swindon pay for not taking that chance less than a minute later as Harrison Chapman ran onto Curtis Main’s lay off to score from 25-yards out as his powerful shot bounced off the post and past Travers to open the scoring.

More misery was heaped on Swindon in the 40th minute as defender Conor Masterson went down injured with Taylor Curran coming on to replace him.

Lyden should’ve done better with his shot from outside the box in added time as Shrews keeper Sarkic was left on the floor outside his box, but the eventual effort was off-target and nearly went out for a throw-in.

Leading at half-time Shrewsbury approached the second-half seeking to put the game beyond Swindon’s reach, but it was the home side who went closest to scoring in the early exchanges. 

Payne forced a close-range save from Sarkic in the 55th minute after creeping in at the back-post to get a touch on Pitman’s header, with Pitman himself then going close to scoring as his headed effort went over the bar just four minutes later.

John Sheridan opted for attacking reinforcement as Scott Twine was introduced to the fray in the 61st minute, before bringing on Christopher Missilou for his Swindon debut and striker Tyrese Omotoye. 

Shrewsbury responded with subs of their own as goalscorer Chapman and Goss were replaced with fresh legs in the form of Rekeil Pyke and David Davis.

The final ten minutes of the match was played out with neither side doing much to add to the scoreline as positive attacking moves eventually fizzled out with the two keepers rarely being called into action.

Tyrese Omotoye had a chance to test Sarkic after the ball fell at his feet, but the youngsters touch was heavy as he put the ball out of play.

Swindon tried to rescue a point with countless balls into the box in the final minutes but couldn’t do enough to score an equaliser as Shrewsbury held on to secure three points away from home.