Shrewsbury Town’s winless record stretches to eight matches as a Josh Vela red card contributes to a narrow defeat.
Shrewsbury Town posses one of the worst disciplinary records in League One with Josh Vela the latest player to receive a straight red card. Town were a goal to the good courtesy of Luke Leahy’s 14th minute opener.
However, Josh Vela’s 31st minute dismissal, two minutes after Denver Hume’s equaliser, provided Portsmouth with the impetus to search for the winner. The former Premier League side eventually made the numerical advantage count when Louis Thompson’s thunderbolt sealed the points.
Steve Cotterill handed Tom Flanagan his first start, whilst the aforementioned Luke Leahy returned from injury. Tom Bloxham was also drafted in.
The visitors should have been ahead inside the opening ten minutes. Elliott Bennett’s inexplicable decision to play a square pass allowed Irishman Ronan Curtis to pounce. The seven-capped international was clean through on goal, but scuffed his final effort much to the relief of Bennett.
The pendulum soon swung in Town’s favour. George Nurse burst to the byline and cut the ball back for Matthew Pennington whose powerful effort needed a goal line clearance from Sean Raggett. However, there was nothing Pompey could do to prevent Town breaking the deadlock soon after. Manchester City loanee Gavin Bazunu flapped at Elliott Bennett’s delivery and Luke Leahy had the simplest of tasks to turn home from close range.
It all started to go downhill for Shrewsbury soon after. Firstly, David Davis was forced off with an ankle injury and then a scrappy equaliser followed. Mark Marosi failed to command a cross and ex-Sunderland man Denver Hume saw his strike trickle over the line and Aiden O’Brien also helped it on its way.
Then, Josh Vela’s scything challenge on Ronan Curtis earned the midfielder a deserved straight red card. Portsmouth looked to profit from the numerical advantage. Denver Hume’s diving header narrowly missed the target, whilst former Sheffield Wednesday striker George Hirst was thwarted by a fine Marosi stop.
The second half didn’t get going until the hour mark. Aiden O’Brien’s volley was well-saved by Marko Marosi. Then, George Hirst flicked a header inches wide after connecting to the lively Hume’s accurate cross.
The visitors sealed the points in some style. Louis Thompson, who made 10 appearances for Town during a loan spell in 2019/20, curled a delightful effort beyond the outstretched fingertips of Marko Marosi.
Defeat sees Shrewsbury in 18th place, four points above the relegation zone. Town are away to Burton on Saturday, whilst Portsmouth welcome Fleetwood.
Attendance: 5,862 (724 away fans).
Team Line Ups
Shrewsbury Town
1. Marosi, 5. Pennington, 4. Ebanks-Landell, 33. Flanagan, 17. Bennett (87), 10. Vela, 16. Davis (22), 3. Leahy, 23. Nurse, 18. Bloxham (75), 11. Udoh
Subs: 6. Pierre, 8. Fornah (22), 12. Bowman (75), 13. Burgoyne, 14. Bondswell, 22. Daniels, 28. Janneh (87)
Subs Not Used: 6. Pierre, 13. Burgoyne, 14. Bondswell, 22. Daniels
Portsmouth
1. Bazunu, 17. Carter (45), 20. Raggett, 4. Robertson, 15. Romeo (80), 23. Thompson, 8. Tunnicliffe, 3. Hume, 11. Curtis, 7. O’Brien (65), 19. Hirst
Subs: 9. Walker (65), 10. Harness (45), 16. Ogilvie, 18. Hackett-Fairchild (80), 25. Mingi, 28. Webber, 38. Jewitt-White
Subs Not Used: 16. Ogilvie, 25. Mingi, 28. Webber, 38. Jewitt-White
Other League One Results
Bolton 3 – 1 Lincoln
Cambridge 2 – 0 Plymouth
Crewe 0 – 1 Oxford
Doncaster 2 – 0 Accrington
Gillingham 0 – 0 AFC Wimbledon
Ipswich 0 – 0 Cheltenham
Rotherham 2 – 0 Morecambe
Sunderland 1 – 1 Burton
Wycombe 1 – 3 Wigan
Shropshire Live is regulated by