Shrewsbury Town

Shrewsbury Town: Chris Weale, Connor Goldson, Dave Winfield, Tamika Mkandawire, Ryan Woods, Jon Taylor, Luke Summerfield (Dave McAllister 68), Nicky Wroe, Aaron Wildig, Adam Reach (Paul Parry 64), Tom Bradshaw (Jon Marsden 68)

SUBS NOT USED: Darren Jones, Alex McQuade, Joe Anyon.

Walsall: Richard O'Donnell, James Chambers, Andy Butler (c), Paul Downing, Andy Taylor (Mal Benning 80), Adam Chambers (Ben Purkiss 85), Sam Mantom, Craig Westcarr, Romaine Sawyers, James Baxendale, Milan Lalkovic (Ashley Hemmings 85)

SUBS NOT USED: Nicky Featherstone, Shane Lewis (GK), Troy Hewitt, Julian Gray. 

 

Shrewsbury's FA Cup adventure is over for another season as Walsall earned a comfortable win on a dispiriting afternoon at the Banks's Stadium.

 

Saddlers striker Craig Westcarr proved a constant menace, scoring twice, and had it not been for an inspired performance from Town 'keeper Chris Weale, the damage may have been more severe.

 

It was little surprise to see the home side open the scoring after 28 minutes when Andy Taylor's whipped in cross from the right was touched in by Westcarr from close range after Dave Winfield failed to clear.

 

Then after a sustanied spell of pressure inside the opening stages of the restart, Westcarr was again on hand to add the second, tapping in the rebound after Weale denied Milan Lalkovic.

 

Walsall sealed the win with 17 minutes to play, when former Town loanee Romaine Sawyers, once signed by Graham Turner, lashed in a brilliant 20 yard shot that flew into the top corner. He was also named sponsors' man of the match.

 

Town offered little going forward in a disjointed display, and only once troubled home 'keeper Richard O'Donnell when Jon Taylor's snapshot was beaten away in the closing 15 minutes.

 

Turner adopted a 4-4-1-1 formation with five-goal leading scorer Tom Bradshaw leading the line against the Saddlers, with Taylor just behind him. Joe Jacobson's hamstring injury kept the left-back out of the side, with Ryan Woods slotting in. It meant a recall for Connor Goldson who played at right-back. Luke Summerfield also came back into a three-man midfield, after the departure of Cristian Lopez to Huddersfield. Sawyers and another former Town loan player Paul Downing were included in the Walsall starting lineup

 

Town struggled defensively throughout and could have fallen behind inside the opening 14 minutes when they almost gifted Walsall a goal. Winfield misjudged a header back to Weale, Westcarr nipped in but Weale was quick off his line to get a vital touch and turn it around for a corner. 

 

The former Leicester and Yeovil man came to Shrewsbury's rescue again soon after. A burst into the area by Lalkovic saw his first effort blocked excellently by the 'keeper and as he tried to find Westcarr, Town cleared their lines. Weale also made a decent stop with his legs late in the half, once again denying Westcarr.

 

Town laboured going forward and it took them 20 minutes before they had their first sight of goal. A Woods free kick was headed on by Winfield, but Nicky Wroe could only screw his volley well wide from the edge of the box.

 

Three minutes later, an unmarked Taylor had his head in his hands when a poor touch just outside the six yard went out for a goalkick, after he'd collected a cross from Goldson on the right.

 

Bradshaw also stopped to head an Adam Reach cross well over the top as Town went in search of an equaliser.

 

The second half proved to be one way traffic though, with Walsall creating a hatful of chances and scoring the two goals. Weale kept the score down, keeping out James Chambers, with the Saddlers in command.

 

Manager Turner made a triple change with Dave McAllister, Paul Parry and the fit again Jon Marsden all introduced but by then the game was well beyond reach and their FA Cup hopes over.