Fleetwood Town 1 Shrewsbury Town 0: Evans strikes again for back-to-back victories

Mark Duffy (right) congratulates Ched Evans on his winning goal against Shrewsbury

Evans did the business midway through the first half as Town registered a second straight League One victory.

It ought to have been a more convincing margin of victory for Joey Barton's men, who emerged worthy victors.

There were a few eyebrows raised before kick-off when Cod Army boss Barton opted to make four alterations to his starting line-up on the back of Saturday's hugely impressive victory at Gillingham.

On a night of rotation, perhaps the most unsurprising change saw weekend goalscoring sub Evans return to the starting XI, while schemer Paul Coutts was back in to captain the side.

Mark Duffy and wideman Wes Burns were also handed starts against a Shrews side who have been inconsistent so far.

Glenn Whelan, Callum Camps and leading scorer Harvey Saunders were dropped to the bench, while Sam Finley was given a rest altogether.

It proved to be a somewhat cagey opening spell at a breezy Highbury.

Both sides were sharp in possession and it was the Shrews who created the first opportunity in the 13th minute.

Marc Pugh, handed a first start by Sam Ricketts in what is his second spell with the club, spun well before seeing a deflected strike comfortably saved by Jayson Leutwiler.

Two well-matched teams were going at it in this one and it was Fleetwood who struck the opening blow in the 25th minute.

At the end of a tidy move down the hosts' left flank, Danny Andrew fizzed in a low cross which was met by Evans, who drilled his fourth goal of the season smartly across keeper Harry Burgoyne and into the far corner from 18 yards.

Five minutes later it was almost two only for Paddy Madden to be denied by Burgoyne from close range.

The hosts' tails were up and Camps - on early to replace the injured Jay Matete - charged in but saw a firm strike deflected narrowly off-target.

Barton's men had been excellent value for their interval lead.

The hosts opened the second period purposefully and almost got their second in the 49th minute.

Another crisp move down the left finished with Madden crossing for Camps but his first-time strike was again superbly kept out by Burgoyne.

Minutes later Burgoyne was again called upon to keep out Burns' thumping effort.

Fleetwood needed that second goal their superiority had probably warranted, but they were denied again when Burgoyne get down well to keep out Camps' glancing header.

Evans also saw a deflected shot frantically headed off the line by full-back Marlon Fossey.

The Shrews came mighty close to a shock leveller with 20 minutes left.

Brad Walker pounced on a loose ball 30 yards out before hitting a shot which flicked off Charlie Mulgrew before flying inches off-target.

Fleetwood: Leutwiler, Edwards, Mulgrew, Connolly, Andrew, Burns (Morris 82), Duffy (Whelan 61), Coutts, Matete (Camps 27), Madden, Evans; Subs not used: Cairns, McKay, Saunders, Holgate.

Shrewsbury: Burgoyne, Fossey, Williams, Ebanks-Landell, Barnett (J Daniels 67), Norburn, Vela, C Daniels, Walker (Pierre 89), Pugh (Clarke 53), Udoh; Subs not used: Gregory, Zamburek, Tracey, High.

Referee: Bobby Madley

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