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A solitary strike from Shrewsbury midfielder Stewart Drummond meant that his side have now all but sealed a play-off place. Drummond powered home a header from a corner to hand Shrewsbury the points. United gave starts to fringe strikers Tim Sills and Marcus Palmer in a surprise forward line, whilst Luke Webb replaced Steven Jennings in the middle of the park. Both Ben Smith and Danny Thomas started against their former employers.
Like the Boston game before it, the Edgar Street faithful had little to get excited about as the first half failed to produce any clear-cut chances or any real excitement. Andy Cooke's stooping header from a Neil Ashton corner went wide, before at the other end, Dean Beckwith headed weakly past the post. Hereford played some good football but there was no end product, as the case has been in recent weeks. Simon Travis linked up well down the right hand side with Trent McClenahan, who put in a low ball which Webb raced onto; despite a good chance to shoot, Palmer took it off his feet and the chance passed.
Derek Asamoah's pace and trickery caused problems in the Hereford defence, although Dean Beckwith and Tamika Mkandawire both looked comfortable with Asamoah. However, the Ghana international went close as he turned in the box, and shot swiftly, the ball took a deflection off Rob Purdie but Wayne Brown made a fine save, despite being wrong-footed. Brown again made a top save, after Drummond linked up with Cooke before striking goalwards, but the former Chester shot-stopper was equal to it, tipping over with a fine diving save. Brown though, could do nothing about the resulting corner. Drummond met it with power, and no real challenge from the Hereford defenders, and powered his header into the back of the net.
The goal couldn't have come at a better time for Shrewsbury, just before the interval, making it a much more relaxed half time for Gary Peters' side. United needed to change it, and introduced Andy Williams in place of youngster Palmer, who was muscled out of the game. It was Williams' strike partner who had the best chance in the early stages, Travis ran forward before a low shot made its way to Sills. Through on goal, the former Aldershot target man had a fantastic opportunity, but he couldn't keep his head and fired hopelessly over the bar when it looked easier to score.
Cooke twice went close with headers as Shrewsbury attacked down both flanks, whilst McClenahan's forward runs saw the Aussie full-back strike a weak shot at the Shrewsbury defence in a rare United attack. United needed to change it, and it was Sills who was replaced by Alan Connell. United looked far more livlier thanks to the introduction of Connell. Firstly, he struck from long range at Scott Shearer, and also turned quickly before vollying over the bar. Connell's best chance came with a free-kick, after he was felled. He curled it inches wide, courtest of the slightest of deflections. This was the closest Hereford came though, and Shrewsbury, largely untroubled throughout, held on for a priceless victory.
Once again, the end product and the impotence of the strikers was Hereford's downfall. Eight out of the last nine games have failed to produce goals for Hereford, a huge cause for concern. Shrewsbury, cheered on by 1497 away fans, in an attendance of 4359, were solid in their performance, and deserved the win; the victory handing them a four point gap over Bristol Rovers in 8th place, with Rovers having to face Swindon and Hartlepool, the Shrews are by far favourites to seal a play-off place. Next Saturday sees the trip down south to Torquay, with recent performances, the end to the season can't come quick enough.
Hereford: Brown, McClenahan, Purdie, Mkandawire, Beckwith, Travis, Thomas, Webb, Smith, Sills, Palmer.
Subs: Thompson, Gulliver, Jennings, Connell, Williams.
Shrewsbury: Shearer, Jones, Hope, Langmead, Tierney, Davies, Edwards, Drummond, Ashton, Asamoah, Cooke.
Subs: MacKenzie, Leslie, Burton, Symes, Fortune-West.
