Shrewsbury Town’s relegation to League Two was all but confirmed after a draw against Lincoln City.
Salop are twelve points adrift of Burton Albion, who climbed outside the relegation zone by beating Huddersfield Town, with four games to play. And with a goal difference that is nineteen worse than the Brewers, their relegation will likely be confirmed against Wigan Athletic on Good Friday.
End Of Season Feel
It appeared Lincoln would ease past the divisions’ bottom side after they took a fourth-minute lead. Tom Bayliss, who Lincoln signed from Salop in the summer, was given all the time in the world by his ex-employers to run through the middle of the park and find the far corner. But the Shrews grew into the game and levelled in peculiar fashion. A long ball forward saw John Marquis nip infront of George Wickens, allowing George Lloyd to square for Aaron Pierre. Despite the best efforts of two covering Imps defenders, he found the net on his 150th Salop appearance.
From then on, the game had an end-of-season feel to it. Wickens continued to have a difficult afternoon, flapping at a couple of crosses in the box. He did produce a big stop to deny Taylor Perry, after George Lloyd found him in the middle, though a deflection aided the Imps keeper. The best chance of a winner came for the hosts in two quick moments. Firstly, Lewis Montsma somehow fired over from yards out, before Zane Okoro almost found the net.
All Too Familiar
The Imps’ expectations were heightened following their scintillating end to last term, missing out on the Play-Offs on the final day. Lincoln were in the top six ahead of the reverse fixture in Shropshire on Boxing Day, but results against the bottom clubs have hindered their campaign. Of the four sides in the relegation zone going into today’s action, Lincoln have won just three of their eight meetings, losing the same number.
But Lincoln were missing a key player in each position this afternoon. Jovon Makama, named League One Player of the Month yesterday after eight-goal contributions in March, is out for the remainder of the campaign with a hamstring injury. Centre-half Paudie O’Connor is serving a suspension following his late red card at Wycombe, while Ethan Erhahon came off the bench for the first time in two months following a tendon issue. Dom Jefferies and Jack Moylan are also out of action for the remaining four games, meaning academy graduate Okoro was handed his league debut off the bench.
Writer’s View
This was an encounter befitting of two teams with little to play for, even though Shrewsbury aren’t mathematically relegated. Salop just about live to fight another day, but Lincoln didn’t do enough to send them down on another frustrating afternoon against League One’s basement club. The talk now shifts to ex-Lincoln manager Michael Appleton, and whether he will continue with the Shropshire outfit next term after taking over from Gareth Ainsworth until the end of the season.
