Cameron Burgess was sent off for a second bookable offence as the Blues drew 1-1 at Shrewsbury. Town had looked comfortable, James Norwood having given them a sixth-minute lead, until being reduced to 10 men after Burgess had lunged at home keeper Marko Marosi on 75 and sub Shaun Whalley lashed an equaliser from 25 yards to claim a share of the points for the Shrews.

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 Marosi, who blocked superbly when it looked a certain goal.

But the 1,560 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, Burgess was shown his first 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.

Town continued to control the game following the restart, although with the odd sloppy pass creeping in and no chances at either end.

In the 62nd minute the already-booked Morsy was given a lengthy talking-to by the referee after a foul on Josh Vela, the official clearing making it plain that any more indiscretions would lead to a second yellow card.

Three minutes later, the Shrews swapped Daniels for Whalley, then on 66 Vela added his name to the lengthy list of bookings for a late tackle on Burns.

Marosi was forced into a sharp save by team-mate Leahy a minute later, the keeper reacting quickly after the defender had inadvertently shot Chaplin’s cross towards his own goal.

With 15 minutes left on the clock, the Blues were reduced to 10 men. Burgess brought the ball forward from the back for the first time all afternoon before feeding Chaplin, who lost possession on the edge of the box. The ball was played back to Marosi, who cleared, however Burgess chased it down and slid in on the keeper, who leapt over his tackle.

It was debatable whether there was any contact but referee Handley acted immediately to show Burgess a second yellow card as the Australian U23 international protested before making his way off.

It was a wholly needless challenge at a time when the Blues were comfortable, dominating play and looking to work the opening from which they could score their second of the game.

The card woke the previously dormant home crowd with their side having shown little threat since the break. On 77 Tyrese Fornah blazed over from the edge of the area.

A minute later, Town swapped Aluko for Thompson as they sought to shore up their backline, the on-loan Brentford man going into the back three. In the 83rd minute, Macauley Bonne took over from Norwood.

Until the red card Town had looked on their way to a work-a-day victory but on 84 the Shrews levelled. A long ball was played forward from deep, Bowman beat Thompson in the air to knock down and Whalley crashed a 25-yard strike past Walton.

Shrewsbury set about looking for a winner against the 10 men and in the 87th minute the game, which had always had some underlying niggle, threatened to boil over again after Burns had tripped George Nurse. The fouled player subsequently clashed with Donacien before plenty of other players joined in. Order was eventually restored and Burns, Donacien and Nurse were all booked.

The Shrews had the Blues pinned back in their own half as the game moved into four minutes of injury time but were unable to find a winner in the final moments.

Town had looked well on their way to a win until the red card, one as needless as you’ll see at any level.

The dismissal changed the pattern of a game which the Blues were well in charge of and it was inevitable that the Shrews would grab an equaliser, although Whalley’s strike was one to remember for home fans.

Ultimately, the result matters little to Town with the season already over but failing to win another game which they had dominated is a frustration, particularly in the wake of last week’s home loss to Cambridge.

Shrewsbury: Marosi, Leahy, Pennington, Fornah, Vela, Udoh (Bloxham 90), Bowman, Bennett (c), Daniels (Whalley 65), Nurse, Flanagan. Unused: Pierre, Burgoyne, Caton, Craig, Janneh.

Town: Walton, Donacien, Woolfenden, Burgess, Burns, Bakinson, Morsy (c), Aluko (Thompson 78), Penney, Chaplin, Norwood (Bonne 83). Unused: Hladky, El Mizouni, Carroll, Celina, Pigott. Referee: Darren Handley (Lancashire). Att: 7,682 (Town: 1,560).

Photo: Pagepix

Nobbysnuts added 15:44 - Apr 10 Dirtydingus.....if your happy with a point against Shrewsbury then that's up to you but personally I think it's p#ss poor....just like all the other p#ss poor results against the small clubs in this league. Its not good enough...simple.
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Razor added 10:04 - Apr 11 Doubt if any of our forwards will be here next season-----and one or two others! Stupid sending off and that deffo cost us the game-----why is Celina suddenly dumped on the bench. the only QUALITY player we have?
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