Fejiri wrecks the fairy tale
PAUL SCHOLES and Phil Neville, with six FA Cup winners’ medals between them, last night watched on as their non-League outfit Salford City exited the competition in a first-round replay.
The National League side, owned by the famed ‘Class of 92’, were denied a clash with Scunthorpe by two goals from Fejiri Okenabirhie.
Salford’s big summer signing Adam Rooney set up a tense finale when he headed home powerfully to make it 2-1 with 13 minutes remaining, pulling Salford back into the contest after Rangers loanee Greg Docherty doubled the Shrews’ lead in the 63rd minute.
But a stoppage-time second for Okenabirhie sealed a third straight win for caretaker boss Danny Coyne, who took over after John Askey lost his job when these teams drew 1-1 in their first meeting.
Shrewsbury could have wrapped up the tie by the interval but had to be satisfied with Okenabirhie’s 33rd-minute opener, an instinctive finish from close range.
Josh Laurent came closest to doubling the lead moments before half-time, when his 20-yard shot struck the left post.
Salford, on course to win promotion to the Football League, carved out some promising first-half moments without troubling Steve Arnold in the Shrews’ goal.
Arnold did well to smother a free-kick in the 66th minute while the hosts failed in a late penalty shout after Tom Walker went down under a Docherty challenge.
But in the third minute of stoppagetime Okenabirhie finally killed off City when he pounced after Laurent and seen his shot saved.