I made the trek down to London yesterday expecting a draw and that's what I got. Because of the Wembley semi-finals the train I normally catch was terminated at Princes Risborough so I had to transfer from a six coach train to a three coach one, fortunately a helpful railway staff member found me a seat.
I found myself sitting opposite a Leyton Orient fan who had booked hospitality for himself and his wife (and they lost to Fleetwood). Fortunately, I was able to make the GMT cafe in East Greenwich, see old friends at the RAH and meet up with Steve from Petts Wood outside the West Stand.
From my seat at the top of the Lower West just outside hospitality I had an excellent view, a perspective I had not seen befire, and it was good to be back in The Valley again.
In the first half Shrewsbury were clearly more up for it, indeed aggressive and sometimes theatrical which took in the referee. I wasn't impressed by Istead who should have called for a ball that went fot a corner and Gillesphey was as bad as everyone told me he was.
As usual it was panic stations in defence and the inevitable happened when Udoh, a former Leamington player, scored for the Shrews.
Dobbo opened the second half with a decisive goal, racing on to Connor Wickham's through ball and evading the keeper to score in an empty net in front of the Covered End. How we are going yo miss him. Nathan Jones wants to keep him, but his manner after the match suggested this really was goodbye.
Chuks and Kanu were brought on, but didn't make much of a difference. We were dispossessed of the ball too easily.
Karoy Anderson headed over from close range after meeting Thierry Small's cross from the left shortly before the hour mark while Marosi got down well to parry away substitute Daniel Kanu's strike.
Two interlopers got on the pitch, pausing the game, As the Salopians sang, 'What the ****ing hell was that?'
Another draw, equaling our club record. It has been pointed out that this was the lowest position since 1926, although it should be noted that there was a third division north and south then.
It was a poor group of players but Nathan Jones managed to stop us getting relegated. He made a short but appropriate speech after the game and it was a subdued parade of platers. Now let's hope we have a clear out and he gets the players he wants. I do have more confidence in this group of owners than their predevssors, although it's a low bar.
