Shrewsbury Town 0-1 Wrexham: Tom O’Connor sends League Two side into FA Cup fourth round

Wrexham rode their luck as they edged to victory over Shrewsbury Town in the Anglo-Welsh border derby to reach the FA Cup fourth round for the second time in successive seasons.

But, in the first derby between the two clubs in almost 16 years, in front of a raucous sell-out crowd, Shrewsbury had only themselves to blame for not taking their chances.

They forced several saves out of Arthur Okonkwo, as well as hitting the crossbar through left-back Mal Benning and missing two golden openings.

In front of their first sell-out crowd since the fourth-round tie with Liverpool in 2020, Shrewsbury had a string of first-half chances.

Taylor Perry had a low shot saved, skipper Chey Dunkley saw his effort deflected wide and Jordan Shipley tested Okonkwo from close range.

But the best of them came on 26 minutes when Shipley’s left-wing cross found Tunmise Sobowale two yards out but, although Okonkwo was on him, he somehow ballooned over from close range.

Wrexham, although at times looking a threat, had just one direct effort on target when Andrew Cannon’s shot was blocked.

Shrewsbury again looked the likelier side to score at the start of the second half as Perry fired over and a Dunkley header was scrambled clear.

Wrexham striker Paul Mullin eventually got in down the left to force Town keeper Marko Marosi into his only save from a narrow angle.

Shrewsbury then came close to going in front when Benning robbed Max Cleworth on the left, surged forward, held off two challenges and clipped a delightful curling shot with the outside of his left foot that came back off the bar.

But, he then became one of five late substitutions made by Taylor. And, within five minutes, Wrexham were ahead with a slice of luck.

Midfielder O’Connor collected George Evans’ pass to take a poke at goal from 15 yards out, which took a big deflection off Town skipper Dunkley to fly past Marosi.

Even then, with Wrexham now the dominant team, Town rallied and had two chances to level in injury time, but Perry was wide of the left upright with both efforts, the first of them when he too really should have scored.

Shrewsbury Town boss Matt Taylor told BBC Radio Shropshire:

“The big chances fell to us and we have not taken them. We missed two glorious opportunities inside the six-yard box.

“We have to be better. That’s why we’re trying to bring goalscorers into the building.

“We got a really dominant performance but we did not get the result. It shows just how important goals are.

“Marko Marosi has only had one save to make before the goal and that was a deflection. It was the only way they were going to score.”

Wrexham boss Phil Parkinson:

“This was a day for our supporters and not just the ones that were here but the ones back at home.

“It’s a local derby, and 16 years ago, Shrewsbury beat us to all but condemn the club to the National League.

“When you have had that pain of being a Wrexham fan during that period, it’s great that we gave our supporters a day to celebrate.

“Shrewsbury are an established League One team, and it was interesting to see us go toe-to-toe with a team that were right up it. And, as the game wore on, we looked better and better and rode our luck.”