James Norwood’s sixth-minute goal has given the Blues a 1-0 half-time lead over Shrewsbury at Montgomery Waters Meadow.
Matt Penney, Sone Aluko, Tyreeq Bakinson returned to the Town side with left wing-back Penney making his first start since the Bolton game in January having come on as a sub in the 1-0 defeat to Cambridge last week. Dominic Thompson dropped to the bench.
Bakinson came into the middle of midfield for Tom Carroll, who was on the bench alongside Bersant Celina with Aluko replacing the Kosovan international and taking up the right-sided number 10 role.
Shrewsbury were without centre-half Ethan Ebanks-Landell, who has a knee problem, with Josh Daniels replacing him. Former Blues loanee Matt Pennington started.
The game got under way in blustery and cold conditions with the Blues, wearing their black and white away kit, in control from the off.
Town should have gone in front in the fourth minute when Aluko fed Janoi Donacien to his right and the centre-half chipped over a cross which Conor Chaplin headed goalwards but too close to home keeper Marko Marosi, who blocked superbly when it looked a certain goal.
But the 1,500 Blues supporters behind the goal only had to wait two more minutes for a goal.
Donacien exchanged passes with Burns on the right and sent over another cross from the right, and James Norwood flicked a near-post header across Marosi and into the net. It was the striker’s sixth goal of the season and his first since the 4-0 win at Gillingham in January.
On eight, Ryan Bowman, who was subbed in the game at Portman Road with a heart problem, chased a long ball down the middle with Christian Walton advancing off his line. The striker tried to touch it past the keeper, who palmed it away. The home crowd claimed he did so while outside the area but Walton was very clearly inside and referee Darren Handley showed no interest.
The game was held up for seven minutes on 12 when the linesman on the far side suffered an injury and there was an appeal over the PA for qualified officials to make themselves known. The stricken linesman made his way off to chants of ‘you’re not fit to run the line’ from the Shrews supporters.
After a protracted warm-up as the additional member of the refereeing team was secured, fourth official Lisa Rashid took over along the line.
Marosi again saved from Chaplin on 21, the forward hitting a shot from just outside the box which deflected through to the keeper.
Morsy was booked for a late tackle on home captain Elliott Bennett on 25 leading to some pushing and shoving involving a number of players and calls for a red card from the home support. Referee Handley eventually restored order and showed only a yellow card.
The Town skipper was joined in the book by Luke Leahy four minutes later for pulling back Aluko as the Blues passed their way towards the Shrews box. Chaplin’s free-kick deflected off the wall for a corner from which the ball fell to Penney deep on the left of the box but the former Sheffield Wednesday man’s shot flew deep into the stand.
On 39 Aluko played a one-two with Burns inside the box but found himself at a tight angle on the right and Marosi was able to save.
Almost immediately, Shrewsbury created their first chance of the match, Daniel Udoh tricking his way past Burns before sending over a cross to the far post from where Daniels headed over, although Penney really ought to have reached the ball before the Shrews man.
Pennington was booked in the 44th minute for clattering into the back of Chaplin’s ankles with the one-time Town loan man claims he’d got the ball falling on deaf ears.
Due to the stoppage for the injury to the linesman, the teams played 10 additional minutes.
Morsy headed Donacien’s ball from deep on the right straight to Marosi, then at the other end the home fans appealed for a penalty after the former Accrington man and Udoh clashed but referee Handley awarded Town a free-kick.
Penney almost reached a deflected Burns cross from the right and claimed he was fouled as he tried to get on the ball, then a minute later Chaplin saw a shot from the edge of the box diverted behind off a defender. Soon after, Morsy hit a low drive through to Marosi.
Just before the whistle, Cameron Burgess was shown a yellow card for pulling back Bowman despite vehement protests of his innocence. Town defended the resultant free-kick to deservedly go in 1-0 up at half-time.
The Blues had been well in control throughout the half and ought to have been in front even before Norwood’s goal with Chaplin having had a gilt-edged chance.
Despite the hold-up for the injury to the official disrupting the rhythm of the game, Town were well in charge, although not at their slickest and without creating too many clear-cut chances to add to their lead.
The Shrews had come more into it later in the half but with Daniels’s header their only real opportunity.
Shrewsbury: Marosi, Leahy, Pennington, Fornah, Vela, Udoh, Bowman, Bennett (c), Daniels, Nurse, Flanagan. Subs: Pierre, Whalley, Burgoyne, Bloxham, Caton, Craig, Janneh.
Town: Walton, Donacien, Woolfenden, Burgess, Burns, Bakinson, Morsy (c), Aluko, Penney, Chaplin, Norwood. Subs: Hladky, Thompson, El Mizouni, Carroll, Celina, Bonne, Pigott. Referee: Darren Handley (Lancashire).