Lacklustre Cobblers easily beaten by Shrewsbury after timid performance
Cobblers were punished for their worst performance of the season when comfortably beaten 2-0 by previously struggling Shrewsbury Town after a deeply lacklustre display at Croud Meadow.
Town might have seen far more of the ball in the first half, racking up over 60 per cent possession, but their play was too slow and too ponderous and ultimately straightforward for Shrewsbury to defend against.
However, while the struggles in attack were nothing new, what was really troubling about their first half performance was the softness and timidity of their defending. Almost every Shrewsbury attack seemed to result in a shot or chance, and two ended in goals.
Kian McMahon-Brown thundered the hosts ahead inside eight minutes before Kevin Berkoe gave the home side breathing space on the stroke of half-time.
No response was forthcoming in an equally disappointing second 45 and Cobblers succumbed to a rather meek defeat, one which will concern supporters.
Chris Hogg made two changes from the team that beat Newport County last weekend, recalling Logan Briggs and Sam Hoskins to the starting line-up in place of Sam Chambers and Connor Evans, who missed out with injury.
Cobblers seemed comfortable in a low-key start to the game but the first serious attack yielded the breakthrough as the away side only half cleared a long throw and McMahon-Brown smashed in from the edge of the box.
That gave Shrewsbury early momentum and Josh Davison wasn’t far away when taking aim from 25 yards as Town struggled to turn possession into a meaningful threat.
Their first effort came on 24 minutes when Harvey Saunders’ shot was parried by goalkeeper Will Brook, and the two men came together again just shy of the half hour as the home stopper smothered at Saunders’ feet.
Shrewsbury were a threat every time they turned the ball over, however, and they twice came close to doubling their lead as McMahon-Brown caught the base of the post and then Jay Turner-Cooke drilled wide from distance.
Cobblers might have given themselves a chance had they gone into half-time only one goal behind, but a poor first 45 was compounded by conceding a soft second goal when Berkoe converted the rebound after Zach Jeacock did well to claw away Davison’s initial header.
Owen Dale was called for at the start of the second half, replacing Briggs, but the pattern of the game continued with George Lloyd firing wide within four minutes of the restart.
Town’s play was devoid of conviction and purpose, while Shrewsbury remained the more threatening side as McMahon-Brown’s low shot forced Jeacock into action.
Dale at least brought a bit of directness and urgency to the away side, and one driving run forced a decent save from Brook, but at no point did a goal feel likely, even after Hogg made a triple change.
Cobblers fans started ironically cheering every pass their team made in the closing stages, a reflection of the mounting frustration with the performance, and there were inevitable boos from the away end when the full-time whistle sounded.
Shrewsbury: Brook, Hoole, Ruffels, Boyle (c), Stubbs, Turner-Cooke (Gray 74), Lloyd, Sang, Beroke (Sousa 85), Davison (Golding 88), McMahon-Brown (Fletcher 88)
Subs not used: Proctor, Jude-Boyd, Gbode
Cobblers: Jeacock, Wormleighton, Moore, Guthrie (c), Maxwell, O'Brien-Whitmarsh, Fornah, Hoskins (Chambers 69), Briggs (Dale 45), Saunders (Swyer 69), Opoku (Warhurst 69)
Subs not used: Fitzsimons, Powell, Dyche
Referee: Emily Heaslip
Attendance: 5,003
Cobblers fans: 582