Rushden & Diamonds 0 Shrewsbury Town 0

 

Two of League Two’s struggling sides met at Nene Park to play out a drab goalless draw in windy conditions.

Rushden and Diamonds Manager Ernie Tippett made two changes to the starting line-up from the side that lost 2v0 to Swansea on Monday.Loan signing Alan Blayney, from Southampton, replaced Lee Worgan who was dropped to the bench whilst new signing Adrian Littlejohn came in upfront. Shrewsbury meanwhile also made two changes to their starting line-up from the side which lost 4-2 at Yeovil on Monday.David Ridler was dropped to the bench whilst Trevor Challis, transfer listed by the club on Friday, was dropped completely.Darren Moss and Neil Ashton were the two replacements.

Diamonds almost went behind after four minutes as David Edwards took advantage of a Rob Gier slip to shoot from just inside the area, but the ball strayed wide of Blayney’s left post.

Four minutes after going behind Diamonds almost went in front; Peter Hawkins fed Craig Dove on the left who moved inside, running diagonally towards the centre, before unleashing a wild 30 yard drive that hit keeper’s far right corner of the bar.Two minutes later Littlejohn turned and shot from the edge of the box and Alex Hay also fancied his chances after a good ball through by Andy Burgess, but both efforts went wide of the keeper’s left post.

Diamonds looked imposing and saw another good opportunity from a free-kick, after 18 minutes.Gary Mulligan took the kick, 10 yards outside the box and central, and forced the keeper into a smart save as Howie tipped the ball over his bar.Two minutes later the same player headed the ball straight into the hands of the keeper after a superb long ball forward had left the Shrews defence stranded.

Dove was unable to take advantage of his mazy run forward as he was closed down by Darren Tinson and Moss just as he was about to shoot, after 37 minutes.Dove was able to hit the target a few minutes later as he played a one-two with Mulligan before shooting hard and low from outside the box, only to see the keeper smother.

Diamonds were well on top as the half came to a close and saw Burgess shoot wide of the keeper’s right hand post.

Shrewsbury brought off John Grant for Ryan Lowe at the start of the second half.The substitute impressed early on and played a good ball infield for Edwards to shoot after 49 minutes, but his effort flashed wide.

Rob Gier received a yellow card for a foul on Lowe after 59 minutes and a minute later came Diamonds first opportunity of the second half.David Bell won the ball well before finding Littlejohn on the edges of the box who controlled well before turning and finding space to shoot, only for Howie to pounce.

Mulligan shot well over with a snap shot from the edge of the box, after 67 minutes, just after receiving treatment for an injury to his face and then two minutes later Hay put a shot on the volley over the bar, from less than six yards, when it looked easier to score.

Jason Taylor replaced Mulligan, who eventually had to go off due to his injury, after 72 minutes to end his loan spell at Nene Park.Diamonds battled desperately for the win and saw Bell shoot wide from the left of centre, just outside the box, with ten minutes of normal time remaining.

Jamie Tolly shot high and wide after 85 minutes for the Shrews and Howie punched clear Hawkins crossed shot after 88 minutes before Diamonds made two late changes.Marcus Kelly came on for Craig Dove and John Dempster for David Bell, with two minutes remaining but both had little time to make any impact as the game came to a close.

Whilst three points would have been welcome, a point was possibly just about the right result, and hopefully the side can now build on the confidence from their performance ahead of next weeks trip to Cheltenham.

TEAMS:

Rushden and Diamonds:
Blayney, Connelly, Hawkins, Allen, Gier, Hay, Bell (sub Dempster 88), Burgess, Littlejohn, Dove (sub Kelly 88), Mulligan (sub Taylor 72).Subs not used: Worgan, Gulliver.

Shrewsbury Town:

Howie, Moss, Tolley, Tinson, Sedgemore, Ashton, Whitehead, Edwards, Grant (sub Lowe 46), Langmead.Subs not used: Ridler, O’Connor, Hart, Lyng.

Referee: Mr P Prosser

Booking: Gier 59.

 

Attendance: 2829 (712 away)

Diamonds Man of the Match: Sean Connelly.

Report by: Richard Beeby.