AARON’S AN ACE IN PACK FOR SHREWS
ARON AMADI-HOLLOWAY’S powerful header secured Sam Ricketts his first League One victory as Shrewsbury Town manager as Coventry City were cut down.
AThe striker broke the deadlock four minutes into the second half when he met Greg Docherty’s inviting free-kick to direct a header past visiting goalkeeper Lee Burge.
Ricketts, appointed boss of the Shropshire club earlier this month, said: “What I loved was the performance, especially first half. I thought we were excellent.
“The only bit that was missing was the final action, whether that be the pass, the shot, just putting the ball in the back of the net.
“Second half we got the goal and then a little bit of our mentality, you could see a team desperate to win a game then really, so the game became a little bit stretched.
“But what I’ve said many, many times is the will, desire and determination to win the game, you saw absolute effort from all the players which eventually got us over the line.”
Ricketts described the winning goal as “an excellent header” and added: “It’s something we work at, we want to get better at, so it’s nice when, for all the good play, a set-piece wins you the game.”
Coventry manager Mark Robins said: “We couldn’t get a foothold in the game in the first half, so made some adjustments, and in the second half it’s a lot better.
“When I say it’s a lot better, it was a lot better than the first half and it still wasn’t at the level that we need to be at.
“They’ve got to stick together, they’ve got to get together, we all have, and make sure that we come back strong on Boxing Day.”
Robins added: “The things we’ve done this week, the work they’ve done on the training ground, has looked good.
“What they can’t afford to do is become training ground players and not be able to transfer it, which is what we’ve said in there.”
Shrewsbury created the better chances in a goalless first half. Anthony Grant saw a shot deflected over the bar and then defender Luke Waterfall went even closer as he twice saw efforts cleared off the line.
Josh Laurent was next to go close for the home side when he drilled a shot over the bar while Conor Chaplin fired a shot into the side netting at the other end for Coventry. The visitors went close at the start of the second half when Luke Thomas was denied by a near-post save with his feet from goalkeeper Steve Arnold. Shrewsbury broke the deadlock in the 49th minute when Amadi-Holloway powerfully headed home Greg Docherty’s free-kick. Liam Kelly came closest to an equaliser for Coventry when he fired a shot over the bar, but the hosts held on to claim all three points.
SHREWSBURY TOWN: Arnold 6, Bolton 7, Sadler 5, Waterfall 7, Haynes 6 (Emmanuel 74, 5), Grant 7, Norburn 7, Docherty 8, Laurent 6, Amadi-Holloway 7 (John-Lewis 79, 6), Okenabirhie 6 (Sears 89, 5). Subs not used: Coleman, Angol, Gilliead, Colkett.
COVENTRY CITY: Burge 5, Brown 6 (Shipley 90+2, 5), Sterling 7, Willis 5, Hyam 5, Bayliss 6, Kelly 7, Chaplin 7, Ogogo 5 (Hiwula-Mayifuila 57, 5), Thomas 7 (Allassani 89, 5), Clarke-Harris 6. Subs not used: Grimmer, Westbrooke, Thompson, Addai.