Shrewsbury Town

Town: Chris Weale, Jermaine Grandison, Luke Summerfield, Darren Jones, Mark Wright (Jon Taylor 81), Matt Richards, Marvin Morgan, Lee Collins, Paul Parry, Sam Winnell (Terry Gornell 15), Aaron Wildig

Subs: Joe Anyon, Rob Purdie, Asa Hall, Ryan Doble, Michael Hector, Terry Gornell

Brentford: Simon Moore, Kevin O'Connor (Harry Forrester 57), Adam Forshaw (Ryan Fredericks 80), Tony Craig, Jonathan Douglas, Clayton Donaldson, Farid El Alagui (Paul Hayes 73), Tom Adeyemi, Shaleum Logan, Jake Bidwell, Leon Legge

Subs: Richard Lee, Harlee Dean, Stuart Dallas, Toumani Diagouraga

Ref: T Robinson

Assistants: M Bouonassisi & DB Holderness

Fourth Official: D Avent

Attendance: 4384 (302)

Graham Turner makes the one change with Mark Wright coming back into the starting line-up, Michael Hector is the man who makes way so it looks like Matt Richards will drop to left-back and Lee Collins move to centre-back.

Brentford had the best early chance when Donaldson found the space in the box to get in behind the Town defence but Lee Collins was alert and came across at the right time to nick the ball away and clear the danger.  At the other end Town were creating chances for Morgan and Summerfield but just after the 10 minutes mark some good play from Town saw Parry fizz in a shot that Moore did well to save, and then from the resulting corner Mark Wright drove in a shot that flashed wide of the  post.

Just before the quarter hour mark Sam Winnell looked to be struggling and rubbing his hamstring, he kept going for a couple of minutes but signalled to the bench and when there was a break in play this allowed Terry Gornell to join the action early on.

Brentford were looking to be quite a physical side at times with some late challenges going in on Wildig and a few cynical looking tugs and fouls to stop the Town defence from doing it's job.  They picked up their first yellow card on the half-hour mark when Jermaine Grandison took the ball downfield when a Brentford corner broke down, Grandison was on his bike and pushed the ball past El Alagui who took out the Town right-back on the half-way line.

The home side had a great chance to grab the lead when they found space down the left hand side, the  ball saw Donaldson with a clean run in on goal, Richards, Collins and Jones were all trying to get back, Donaldson got his shot in but it was straight into the side netting as Weale did well to stay on his feet to make it hard for the Brentford forward.

At the other end Town were still having chances of his own and when Richards found the space to curl in a lovely ball to the near post Terry Gornell met it well to get a header in on goal but Moore was at his best to dive low to his right and tip the ball round the post for a Town corner.  Minutes later Town had another good chance to grab the lead when Morgan got in behind the Brentford defence down the left after he had turned his marker, he drove in on goal and hit a low drive that looked to have the beating of Moore but it flew just wide of the mark.

Marvin Morgan was really getting into the game as the half wore on and seemed to be full of confidence and looking to add to his goal tally.  He had a couple of good runs on the Brentford goal and when Parry played a ball down the line to Morgan he let the ball run and left his marker Tony Craig rooted to the spot, Morgan then had a run in on goal but he skewed his shot high and wide of the target.

Brentford looked a bit more urgent after the restart but Town were equal to the early home pressure.  Town had a good chance to grab the lead with just 5 minutes of the half on the clock, Town pressure saw the ball come to Grandison inside the Bee's half, he started running and kept going for driving in a low shot from the edge of the box that had Moore beaten but the shot skidded wide of the far post.

It was another good showing from Town but also from the home side who were making things tough for the visitors.  For a neutral it was probably a good game to watch with both sides having good chances and putting together a lot of good passing football.  There were chances at both ends but it was still Town who were getting the better of these but without that final important touch.

Just before the half hour Town looked to have been awarded a clear penalty, Town were moving the ball well around the pitch and Parry played it out to Wright, he clipped an inviting ball into Marvin on the edge of the box, he controlled it and turned before smashing in a shot that a Brentford player clearly blocked with his hand and diverted behind for a corner.  The ref awarded a penalty straight away, after a period of complaints from the Brentford players he spoke to his assistant and then changed his mind and awarded a corner.

This gave the Brentford fans a boost and this in turn spurred on the  home side, and on 75 minutes Brentford did get the ball into the Town net but this time it was the other assistants chance to shine with a flag for an offside and the goal was whipped off.

Town were aggrieved and pushed and pushed to get a goal to give them the lead their play probably deserved.  Morgan flashed a low shot across the face of the goal, Wright had a shot blocked after a clever turn and shot in the box and then Gornell smashed in a great volley that left Moore rooted to the spot but the woodwork was there to save the home side.

With 10 minutes remaining Town were still looking to grab the winner and a quick counter attack saw Town burst down field with Parry, he pushed play out to Grandison who powered forward down the right, he pushed to the byline before cutting the ball back to Parry who curled a good looking left footed shot that dropped just wide of the far post.

For the final 10 minutes Graham Turner gave Jon Taylor his chance to make his mark in a straight swap for Mark Wright.

As the game entered added time were awarded a free-kick some 35 yards from goal, Matt Richards lifted the ball into the box, Gornell rose well and flicked on a header under pressure but Morgan couldn't connect at the backpost and Town won another corner.