Match Report | Salford 1-1 Shrewsbury - Salop win 4-3 on pens!

Shrewsbury Town clinched a place in the second round of the Carabao Cup with a brilliant win at Salford.

In the end, Salop won it 4-3 on penalties with Will Brook making a string of outstanding saves in the shootout.

Over the course of the 90 minutes, though, Salop thoroughly deserved their win.

They took the lead early in the second half thanks to a debut goal from Josh Davison.

After Sam Stubbs was harshly sent off, Kyrell Malcolm levelled the scores.

But against the League Two title favourites, Salop dug in and went on to win a chaotic penalty shootout thanks to some brilliance from Brook.

Team news:

Boss Cowan opted for a 3-4-1-2 formation for the first competitive game of the season.

It saw Will Brook get the nod in goal with Sam Stubbs, Will Boyle and Josh Ruffels making up the back three.

Arkell Jude-Boyd started at right wing-back with former Salford man Kevin Berkoe on the left.

Will Gray and Tom Sang were the midfield two with Isaac Fletcher more advanced in the number 10 role.

George Lloyd and Josh Davison were the front two.

Salford lined up in a 4-2-3-1 formation with MacAuley Langstaff the central striker.

Kelly Nmai, was on the left wing with Kallum Ceasy central and Luke Molyneux on the left.

Report:

The hosts created a chance inside the first minute when Molyneux forced Brook into a routine save with a half-volley from just inside the area.

That aside, it was Salop who controlled the early exchanges. Cowan's side pressed aggressively out of possession and used the ball intelligently when they had it, enjoying the better of the opening stages.

Salford still carried a threat, though, and Joe Powell's low cross eventually found Nmai, whose effort was comfortably claimed by Brook.

At the other end, Ruffels delivered an inviting cross that Lloyd headed narrowly wide before Fletcher's header from a Jude-Boyd delivery was blocked.

Town came within inches of breaking the deadlock just before the half-hour mark. Fletcher drove in from the left before picking out Sang in the area, and the midfielder curled a superb effort just past the far post.

Salop continued to knock on the door and almost took the lead following a corner, with Lloyd seeing a goal-bound effort blocked by Will Aimson during the second phase of play.

Salop had been the better team in the first half.

And they deservedly took the lead shortly after the re-start. After Salford dallied in the box, Fletcher did really well to nip in and force Norris into a save from close range.

But the loose ball fell for Davison who emphatically found the bottom corner to mark his Town debut with a goal.

Salford responded with Boyle making an excellent block to divert a powerful strike from Cesay.

But it was Town who created the game's next big opportunity with the hosts having make two last-ditch blocks to keep out efforts from Lloyd and Gray.

Salop were reduced to 10 men with 15 minutes to go - when Stubbs was hugely unfortunate to pick up a second yellow card for a sliding challenge. 

And shortly after Salford were level with a corner falling for Malcolm who fired through a sea of bodies and into the back of the net.

With the man advantage, the hosts looked more dangerous with substitute Abraham Odoh firing over from eight yards when he should have done better.

Salford almost won it in time added on when Aimson powered a header towards goal from a corner only for Brook to have placed himself perfectly to claim.

Then seconds later Aimson got sent off following an altercation with the Salop dugout - ensuring both sides headed into penalties with 10 men.

Teams:

Salford: Norris, Aimson, Powell, Langstaff, Nmai (Odoh 72), Butcher (Grant 63), Turton, Cesay (Graydon 63), Oluwo, Carson (Udoh 88), Molneux (Malcolm 63).

Subs not used: Long, Awe, Cooper, Austerfield.

Shrewsbury:  Brook, Stubbs, Boyle, Ruffels, Jude-Boyd, Sang, Gray (Price 73), Berkoe, Fletcher (Hoole 77), Lloyd (Turner-Cooke 79), Davison (Gbode 73).

Subs not used: Proctor, Lee, Pendleton, England, TAiston.

Attendance: 1,439 (497 away).