Nolan’s super strike has Shrewsbury dreaming

SHREWSBURy’S Jon Nolan flew through the air and his right boot spectacularly met the ball on the full. Forget that for 80 minutes this game had lacked quality, it had finally arrived — and this was the only moment that counted.

Charlton goalkeeper Ben Amos dived but to no avail and the ball flew in off the bar.

Manager Paul Hurst was happy but cautious. ‘It was worthy of winning a game,’ he said. ‘But I’m not getting carried away. It’s only half-time. There’s another game to come and I’m sure Charlton will be confident of winning through.’

This had been a game defined by missed opportunities, with Charlton’s Josh Magennis contriving to head wide early on and Nolan seeing a blocked shot fly over. Charlton manager Lee Bowyer was disappointed not to see visiting striker Carlton Morris sent off for two yellows. ‘I’ve been in the game long enough and got a lot of yellow cards myself to know what is one and isn’t one,’ he said. ‘He should have been sent off.’

But it was Nolan’s dramatic 80thminute intervention that mattered. Half-time or not, Shrewsbury can start dreaming of Wembley.