Shrewsbury 1 Fleetwood 1: Pilkington strikes again but Town are pegged back

Anthony Pilkington’s third goal in five games had Town in cruise control at the break only for the hosts to secure a share of the spoils thanks to Luke Leahy’s spot-kick shortly after the restart.

Town missed the opportunity to leapfrog their hosts in the table after an entertaining clash which ended with Callum Camps seeing red in the dying minutes.

Ahead of kick-off at a blustery Montgomery Waters Meadow, Town boss Stephen Crainey had tweaked his starting XI with two changes following last weekend’s draw with Cambridge United.

One alteration was enforced, with unlucky recent loan capture Josh Harrop unavailable through injury after he’d limped off so early in his debut game against the U’s.

Shayden Morris was dropped to the bench for the trip to Shropshire, with veteran Pilkington and Toto Nsiala stepping up for starts.

There was a terrific noise from both sets of fans inside the stadium at 3pm, and Town were kicking right into the wind.

The visitors worked the first opening after seven minutes, with Pilkington driving a deflected low shot narrowly wide.

Nsiala also headed off-target as Crainey’s men made an encouraging start.

Alex Cairns then saved Town in the 11th minute, when his outstretched boot kept out Ryan Bowman after he had turned smartly inside Zak Jules.

Both sides looked dangerous in the early stages, with chances coming thick and fast, the next of which saw Shrewsbury’s Josh Vela fire over from 22 yards.

However, it was Town who notched a terrific goal in the 21st minute.

Right wing-back Callum Johnson flung over a super cross for Pilkington, who darted into the middle unmarked and powered home a perfectly-placed header.

The goal certainly took the sting out of the Shrews as an attacking force for a spell, allowing Town to threaten again when Pilkington saw an effort deflected past the post.

The visitors were good value for their lead as the interval approached, and Shrews’ defender Matthew Pennington almost put through his own net when trying to clear Danny Andrew’s cross in the 44th minute.

Town suffered a disastrous start to the second period when the Shrews levelled from the spot after only three minutes.

Luke Leahy slotted past Cairns comfortably after ex-Shrewsbury man Jules had clumsily bundled over Daniel Udoh.

It was ‘game on’ again, with Town boss Crainey clearly a frustrated figure as he watched on from the touchline.

Pennington then went close at the right end with the Shrews’ tails now up, and it was Town’s turn to weather the storm.

Clearly the momentum had shifted in the second period, with Steve Cotterill’s Shrews now firmly in the ascendancy in this battle for potentially three crucial League One points.

The gusty wind was still a factor, too, as both sides did their best to boss possession.

Pilkington fired a 67th-minute strike narrowly off-target, while Camps’ well-struck free-kick from 25 yards was well gathered by Marko Marosi.

At the other end, Cairns was brilliant in keeping out Shrews skipper Ethan Ebanks-Landell’s late close-range effort before Town midfielder Camps was red-carded for dissent in added time.

Shrewsbury: Marosi, Pennington, Ebanks-Landell, Nurse, Bennett, Vela, Fornah (Janneh, 46), Davis, Leahy, Udoh, Bowman; Subs not used: Pierre, Burgoyne, Bloxham, Daniels, Bondswell, Flanagan.

Fleetwood: Cairns, Jules, Clarke, Nsiala (Butterworth, 61), Johnson, Batty (Biggins, 90), Camps, Pilkington (Morris, 76), Andrew, Harrison, Lane; Subs not used: O’Hara, Johnston, Hayes, MacAdam.

Referee: James Bell.

Attendance: 5,848

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