SOLIHULL TAMED BY SHREWS
SOLIHULL MOORS 0 SHREWSBURY T 4
SHREWSBURY knocked the stuffing out of Solihull Moors by netting two spectacular goals in the opening eight minutes.
Before Solihull knew what hit them, Shrews full back Joe Riley played an inch perfect ball down the right flank which picked up striker AJ Lietch-Smith.
The Shrews sharpshooter advanced and smashed home a stunning volley which left Solihull goalkeeper Danny Lewis rooted to the spot with less than three minutes gone on the clock.
Riley tried to repeat the move moments later, but this time Lietch-Smith squared the ball across goal and it was cleared.
But there was no respite for Solihull who went 2-0 down on eight minutes when Shrews full back Junior Brown headed into the goalmouth for Lietch-Smith who touched the ball on for Louis Dodds to lash home leaving the luckless Lewis stranded.
Shrews continued to threaten at every opportunity but in a rare moment of defiance, Solihull central defender Gavin Cowen headed narrowly over from a corner.
A third Shrewsbury goal arrived on 34 minutes when Lewis saved an Ethan Jones shot from almost point blank range but Antoni Sarcevic was on hand to pick up the pieces and slot home the loose ball.
Former Aston Villa striker Stefan Moore squandered a good chance for Solihull when he fired across the face of goal after being set up by strike partner Akwasi Asante.
But there was still more misery for Solihull before half time when they went 4-0 down on 40 minutes after Shrews’ Shaun Whalley was brought down by Connor Franklin.
Whalley got up to take the penalty himself and saw his spotkick sensationally turned onto the post by the diving Lewis, but Whalley was first to react and slotted home at the second attempt, firing the ball in from an acute angle.
If Lewis had been out of luck in the first half, he stole the show after the break with a string of sizzling saves. He produced a point-blank stop from Ethan Jones before visiting boss Micky Mellon rang the changes and switched his entire starting XI.
Yet Shrews still continued to carve out countless chances. Tyrone Barnett missed a sitter when put clean through on goal.
Then Lewis excelled and kept out two successive point blank shots from Andy Mangan.
Lewis then finished off with another superb close range save from Richie Wellens after the former Leicester City player had ran through a static Solihull defence. STAR MAN: Joe Riley (Shrewsbury Town) ENTERTAINMENT: ★★★★★