Walsall 1 Shrewsbury Town 1 - Report and pictures

In front of 5,971 fans at the Banks’s Stadium, Jon Whitney’s side took the lead when Dan Ageyi unleashed a stunning strike from 25-yards that sailed over Craig MacGillivray and into the net.

Shrewsbury hit back from the penalty spot with Stefan Payne converting from 12-yards after Jon Guthrie had prevented the striker’s initial header from going in with his hand.

But from that point, it was the defences that were on top with both teams pressing high and working tirelessly to ensure goal-scoring opportunities were at a premium.

Analysis

Having been underwhelmed with his team’s performances against Wigan and Coventry, boss Whitney opted to revert to the 3-5-2 system used earlier in the season when naming his starting line-up.

It meant youngster Kory Roberts came in for only his second league start of the campaign in the middle of a back three.

There were also recalls up front for striker’s Amadou Bakyoko and Dan Agyei. But there was no place in the squad for skipper Adam Chambers who missed out through injury.

Shrewsbury, who lined up in a 4-5-1 system, included former Banks’s favourites Craig MacGillivray and Mat Sadler in their starting line-up with Stefan Payne operating as the lone frontman.

In a clash that had a derby feel from the off, the opening stages proved scrappy with both teams pressing high and snapping at the heels of their opponents whenever they were in possession.

But the Banks’s Stadium was lit up with a moment of magic in the 14th minute when Agyei opened the scoring with a spectacular strike from 25-yards.

The Burnley loanee initially tried to slip-in strike-partner Bakayoko.

But the ball bounced back to him off Aristote Nsiala with the forward then unleashing a wonderful, dipping strike that sailed over MacGillivray and into the net.

Walsall’s lead though would last less than five minutes with Salop pulling level from the penalty spot after Payne’s goal bound header was stopped by the hand of Jon Guthrie.

Referee Graham Salisbury had little option but to point to the spot.

But after a long conversation with his linesman, the official opted not to book the former Crewe defender – despite Shrewsbury’s appeals for him to be given a straight red.

Payne dusted himself down to convert from 12-yards, with the striker rolling the ball into the left corner for his seventh of the campaign.

The goal seemed to spark the visitors into life with Hurst’s men dominating the ball as the clock ticked towards the half-hour mark.

And they came a whisker away from going in front when the dangerous Payne raced through and rounded Mark Gillespie.

On the angle, the former Barnsley man looked to roll the ball into the empty net. But Kory Roberts raced back to expertly slide in and clear from virtually his own goal line.

A minute later, Salop fans were celebrating with Payne smashing a volley into the roof of the net only for the effort to be ruled out for offside.

But from that point, Walsall grew in stature with Whitney’s men forcing a number of corners in what was proving an absorbing and competitive half of football.

And they almost retook the lead in stoppage time with Joe Edwards bursting past a number of challenges before entering the box and seeing a low strike charged down. The ball then fell for Luke Leahy who also saw his strike blocked.

The second half started in a similar vein to the first with both teams pressing their opponents well.

But with clear goal scoring opportunities almost non-existent, Whitney made his first change in the 68th minute with former Salop loanee Tyler Roberts replacing Agyei.

Shrewsbury threatened next with an unmarked James Bolton heading wide following Louis Dodds' corner.

As the clock ticked towards the 80 minute mark, the games only shots on target had been the goals.

That changed when Tyler Roberts hit a low drive from 25-yards that was comfortably saved by MacGillivray.

And the youngster, who started for Wales under-21 against Lichtenstein on Thursday, came a whisker away from winning for Whitney’s men right at the end.

The striker met a brilliant Leahy cross from the left, but his header was brilliantly clawed over the bar by MacGillivray.

Key moments

12 James Wilson plays a long ball forward towards Luke Leahy, his attempted volley is then deflected behind for a corner.

14 GOAL WALSALL. Daniel Agyei produces a spectacular, dipping strike from 25-yards which sails into the net.

18 Penalty Shrewsbury. The visitors are awarded a penalty when Stefan Payne’s goal-bound header is stopped by the hand of Jon Guthrie.

20 Goal Shrewsbury. Payne dusts himself down to convert from 12-yards.

34 A ball over the top sees Payne round Mark Gillespie but Kory Roberts gets back to make a vital sliding block from virtually his own goal line.

35 Goal disallowed. Payne's ferocious volley is disallowed for offside.

45 Joe Edwards sees a strike from 25-yards blocked.

45+2 Edwards bursts past a number of challenges before seeing a low strike charged down. The ball then falls for Luke Leahy whose effort is also blocked.

63 Payne's strike is blocked by Roberts and bobbles through for Gillespie.

70 James Bolton is left unmarked at the far post from Louis Dodds' corner but heads well wide.

85 Tyler Roberts hits a low drive from 25-yards but it’s easy for MacGillivray.

89 MacGillivray produces an excellent save to claw away Tyler Roberts' close-range header.

Teams

Walsall: Gillespie, Guthrie, Wilson, K.Roberts, Devlin, Leahy, Edwards, Oztumer, Morris, Bakayoko, Agyei (T Roberts 68).

Subs not used: L.Roberts, Flanagan, Ismail, Kouhyar, Shorrock, Candlin, T.Roberts.

Shrewsbury: MacGillivray, Godfrey, Sadler, Ogogo, Dodds (Morris 75), Brown, Bolton, Nolan, Nsiala, Rodman (Whalley 75), Payne (Gnahoua 88).

Subs not used: Gregory, Riley, Beckles, Adams