Match Day Thread Shrewsbury v Pompey

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Shrewsbury will be without midfielder Ollie Norburn for Saturday's Sky Bet League One home clash with Portsmouth but new goalkeeper Joe Murphy could make his debut.

Norburn is out due to a knee injury sustained in training, joining Ryan Sears and Lenell John-Lewis (both also knee) on the sidelines.

Summer signing Murphy and Josh Laurent have returned to training after foot and thigh problems respectively. Dave Edwards (ankle) and Scott Golbourne, who has also been recovering from injury during pre-season, are set to be available. Boss Sam Ricketts has said Anthony Grant will not be part of the first-team set-up this season "due to reasons which will remain in-house".


John Marquis is in line to make his 'second debut' for Portsmouth in the contest at Montgomery Waters Meadow. The striker joined from Doncaster on Wednesday, returning to a club he had previously spent time on loan with in 2013-14.

Pompey boss Kenny Jackett has also brought in the likes of Marcus Harness, Ross McCrorie and Sean Raggett this summer. Jackett is looking to build on a 2018-19 which saw his side qualify for the play-offs with a fourth-placed finish - exiting in the semi-finals - and win the Checkatrade Trophy.

Only one of the last 13 league clashes between Shrewsbury and Portsmouth have ended level, with both sides responsible for six wins each in this period.

Portsmouth's 2-0 victory in this exact fixture last season halted a run of three straight league defeats at Montgomery Waters Meadow for the away side.

The last time Shrewsbury kicked off their league campaign at home to Portsmouth, they lost 1-2 in August 1988, a season in which the Shrews went on to be relegated.

 

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Shrewsbury

• 25 O'Leary
• 5 Williams
• 24 Ebanks-Landell
• 2 Pierre
• 17 Love
• 4 Edwards
• 16 Vincelot
• 18 McCormick
• 11 Giles
• 10 Okenabirhie
• 20 Morison

Substitutes

• 1 Murphy
• 3 Golbourne
• 6 Beckles
• 7 Whalley
• 15 Walker
• 21 Eisa
• 28Laurent

 

.........and the match kicks off !!............

 

Attempt blocked. Tom Naylor (Portsmouth) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. 3rd minute.

 

Attempt blocked. Ross McCrorie (Portsmouth) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. 10 minutes.

 

Attempt saved. Ross McCrorie (Portsmouth) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal. 10 minutes.

 

Attempt missed. Ethan Ebanks-Landell (Shrewsbury Town) header from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Luke McCormick with a cross. 22 minutes.

 

Attempt missed. Steve Morison (Shrewsbury Town) right footed shot from outside the box is too high. 23 minutes.

 

Anton Walkes (Portsmouth) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul. 29th minute.

 

Yellow card for Gareth Evans for a weak foul on Ebanks-Landell. 31 minutes.

 

Attempt blocked. Marcus Harness (Portsmouth) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Gareth Evans. 34th minute.

 

Attempt blocked. John Marquis (Portsmouth) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Marcus Harness. 39th minute.

 

John Marquis goes close again with another shot which is blocked by a Shrews defender. 45th minute.

 

Half-time whistle goes. 0-0 score.

 

Half-time Match Stats:-

Home Team: Shrewsbury ........Away Team: Portsmouth

Possession:

Home 35%
Away 65%

Shots:

Home 2
Away 7

Shots on Target:

Home 0
Away 1

Corners:

Home 0
Away 5

Fouls:

Home 5
Away 6

 

Commentators on Express FM are saying that John Marquis has two giant centre backs in Ebanks-Landell and Pierre, marking him extremely closely every time he receives the ball.