The Hatters’ second match at home in quick succession saw them enjoy a single-goal win at the expense of bottom-placed Shrewsbury on a drizzly evening under the Edgeley Park lights.
In what was a first league meeting between the clubs at EP for just under 15 years (although they had faced each other there for an EFL Trophy-tie rather more recently, during the autumn of 2022), County took a first-half lead courtesy of a stunning free-kick from Ollie Norwood which, in the event, and despite some nervous moments caused by the resurgent visitors late on, settled the contest.
It gave the Hatters their first home league triumph over ‘Salop’ for nearly 19 years – and, more pertinently, a third successive win, a second clean sheet in a row, and a second ‘double’ of the season that further cemented their hold on fifth position, as well as closing the gap on teams above them.
Manager Dave Challinor named an unchanged starting line-up for the third match running, and the Hatters’ bench also remained the same as that for their most recent assignment – against Crawley in SK3 three days previously.
County earned a first corner of the night after three minutes – although the only two attempts during the first 10 were long-range, looping efforts for both sides, from Norwood and Shrewsbury’s Dominic Gape, that were comfortably caught by visiting goalkeeper Jamal Blackman and Ben Hinchliffe between the respective sets of sticks.
On the half-hour, there was a little more to become enthralled about, as, first, Ibby Touray’s well-struck shot was deflected past the left post by Morgan Feeney, and then, from the ensuing corner, taken by Touray, Blackman tipped over the unmarked Callum Connolly’s header.
Half a dozen minutes later, County broke the deadlock, and in some style, too, as Norwood’s free-kick – for a foul by Funso Ojo on Connolly around the edge of the box – curled sweetly beyond the flailing Blackman and into the top-left corner of the net for the midfielder’s first league goal as a Hatter.
HALF-TIME: County 1 (Norwood, 36), Shrewsbury 0.
The second half got off to as quiet a start as the first had done – with no chances of note until the hour was nigh, when skipper Kyle Wootton saw a shot, and a header from the corner that followed, deflected past the right post by Morgan Feeney and Blackman, respectively.
Feeney, unfortunately, was to play virtually no further part in proceedings, as a collision in the visitors’ area with his captain John Marquis led to a lengthy delay before he had to be stretchered off. His replacement, Taylor Perry, did, however, force a save from Hinchliffe – drilling a low shot from outside the Hatters’ box that County’s Number One dived to smother.
County, meanwhile, had brought on Odin Bailey and Lewis Bate to help manage the game – and, with seven minutes of normal time left, owed Hinchliffe a huge debt of gratitude for brilliantly keeping out a point-blank header from Marquis, as Salop exerted some late pressure.
A whopping 12 minutes were added on – primarily for Feeney’s spell of treatment – but the Hatters, with relief, held on to secure the three points and move to within a point of fourth-placed Huddersfield.
FULL-TIME: County 1 (Norwood, 36), Shrewsbury 0.
Team (3-5-2): Hinchliffe; Knoyle (Diamond, 84), Connolly, Pye; Southam-Hales, Collar, Norwood (Rydel, 90 + 10), Camps (Bate, 76), Touray; Wootton (Capt.), Olaofe (Bailey, 76).
Unused Subs: Addai, Andrésson, Hamilton.
Booked: Touray, Pye.
Man of the Match: Connolly.
Attendance: 8,862 (705 away).
Reporter: Gareth Evans.
Photographer: Mike Petch.
