Shrewsbury Town 3 Leigh RMI 1
By Matt Lawton March 9 2004
Despite a valiant performance, RMI fell to a 3-1 defeat at Nationwide Conference high-flyers Shrewsbury Town live in front of the nation via Sky Sports.
Despite a valiant performance, RMI fell to a 3-1 defeat at Nationwide Conference high-flyers Shrewsbury Town live in front of the nation via Sky Sports.
The Railwaymen travelled to Shrewsbury in the hope of gaining some vital points to aid their fight for Conference survival, and had the shock 1-0 victory at Hereford United earlier in the season fresh in their memory as they looked for a repeat performance in front of another big crowd at Gay Meadow, and this time also in millions of homes across the nation.
RMI started the game on the back foot and were lucky to survive some loud penalty claims from the home support and players alike when Duane Darby seemed to be fouled in the penalty area. Predictably RMI were behind within ten minutes of the start of the game when Duane Darby latched on to Ryan Lowe's pass and fired the ball between the legs of debutant goalkeeper James Salisbury, who had signed on loan from local rivals Wigan Athletic earlier in the week.
Salisbury came in to the side to deputise for regular goalkeeper Ian Martin, who has returned home to Australia in order to attend his brother's wedding, which will also mean he will miss Saturday's game away at Scarborough.
With RMI's lowly league position and the hosts still hopeful of catching Conference leaders Chester City, you would think that Darby's early goal would open the floodgates, but you'd be wrong, with RMI coming more and more in to the game as the first half progressed.
Former Bury midfielder Steve Gunby had a free kick parried away by the Shrews' former Norwich City goalkeeper Scott Howie, before Steve Brodie suffered the same fate from long distance.
RMI had a golden opportunity to get back on level terms after nearly twenty five minutes when Brodie again shot from distance, and Howie failed to hold the shot, only for top scorer David McNiven to fail to reach the rebound.
Thankfully, the travelling faithful didn't have to wait long for an equaliser. The Shrewsbury defence comically failed to clear the lines after Steve Brodie's cross, and the ball eventually found it's way back to Brodie who spectacularly finished in style on the volley to put RMI back on level terms and score his third goal in two games, with the score staying level at one apiece until the half time break.
The second half begun with RMI facing an onslaught from the hosts but they defended resolutely and Salisbury more than atoned for his error for the first goal, making a series of excellent saves to keep his side in the game, along with more than a few blocks from defenders Gerry Harrison, Neil Durkin and Martyn Lancaster.
Unfortunately, it was only a matter of time until Shrewsbury regained the lead and they did so via an excellent twenty five yard curling shot from midfielder Ryan Lowe, with Sailsbury beaten all ends up by Lowe's breathtaking strike.
RMI fought desperately to get back on level terms, and despite the introduction of substitute strikers Damian Whitehead and Kris McHale, they failed to create any clear-cut chances.
They did get a chance as the game entered stoppage time when Whitehead broke free, only be fouled, resulting in a Leigh free kick on the edge of the area on RMI's left wing. With time ticking away, goalkeeper Salisbury had permission to make himself the hero and he trotted upfield for what was RMI's last chance of an equaliser.
Salisbury managed to win a header but the ball went through to Shrewsbury goalkeeper Scott Howie, who quickly released the ball to Jody Banim who drilled the ball in to the empty net from thirty yards, albeit via an unfortunate deflection off RMI centre back Neil Durkin.
3-1 didn't really seem a fair result for RMI's sizeable efforts but they simply didn't finish enough of their chances. There were plenty of encouraging signs though against undoubtedly one of the Conference's better sides, and RMI will enter Saturday's game at FA Cup heroes Scarborough full of confidence to earn a vital three points.
RMI started the game on the back foot and were lucky to survive some loud penalty claims from the home support and players alike when Duane Darby seemed to be fouled in the penalty area. Predictably RMI were behind within ten minutes of the start of the game when Duane Darby latched on to Ryan Lowe's pass and fired the ball between the legs of debutant goalkeeper James Salisbury, who had signed on loan from local rivals Wigan Athletic earlier in the week.
Salisbury came in to the side to deputise for regular goalkeeper Ian Martin, who has returned home to Australia in order to attend his brother's wedding, which will also mean he will miss Saturday's game away at Scarborough.
With RMI's lowly league position and the hosts still hopeful of catching Conference leaders Chester City, you would think that Darby's early goal would open the floodgates, but you'd be wrong, with RMI coming more and more in to the game as the first half progressed.
Former Bury midfielder Steve Gunby had a free kick parried away by the Shrews' former Norwich City goalkeeper Scott Howie, before Steve Brodie suffered the same fate from long distance.
RMI had a golden opportunity to get back on level terms after nearly twenty five minutes when Brodie again shot from distance, and Howie failed to hold the shot, only for top scorer David McNiven to fail to reach the rebound.
Thankfully, the travelling faithful didn't have to wait long for an equaliser. The Shrewsbury defence comically failed to clear the lines after Steve Brodie's cross, and the ball eventually found it's way back to Brodie who spectacularly finished in style on the volley to put RMI back on level terms and score his third goal in two games, with the score staying level at one apiece until the half time break.
The second half begun with RMI facing an onslaught from the hosts but they defended resolutely and Salisbury more than atoned for his error for the first goal, making a series of excellent saves to keep his side in the game, along with more than a few blocks from defenders Gerry Harrison, Neil Durkin and Martyn Lancaster.
Unfortunately, it was only a matter of time until Shrewsbury regained the lead and they did so via an excellent twenty five yard curling shot from midfielder Ryan Lowe, with Sailsbury beaten all ends up by Lowe's breathtaking strike.
RMI fought desperately to get back on level terms, and despite the introduction of substitute strikers Damian Whitehead and Kris McHale, they failed to create any clear-cut chances.
They did get a chance as the game entered stoppage time when Whitehead broke free, only be fouled, resulting in a Leigh free kick on the edge of the area on RMI's left wing. With time ticking away, goalkeeper Salisbury had permission to make himself the hero and he trotted upfield for what was RMI's last chance of an equaliser.
Salisbury managed to win a header but the ball went through to Shrewsbury goalkeeper Scott Howie, who quickly released the ball to Jody Banim who drilled the ball in to the empty net from thirty yards, albeit via an unfortunate deflection off RMI centre back Neil Durkin.
3-1 didn't really seem a fair result for RMI's sizeable efforts but they simply didn't finish enough of their chances. There were plenty of encouraging signs though against undoubtedly one of the Conference's better sides, and RMI will enter Saturday's game at FA Cup heroes Scarborough full of confidence to earn a vital three points.
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