Shrewsbury Town 1-0 Carlisle United: Udoh sinks Blues

Shrewsbury striker Udoh beat Harry Lewis late in the first half to settle a contest of poor quality.

Sam Lavelle and Dan Butterworth had chances to level, while Lewis prevented the hosts from adding to their tally.

But there was no let-up in United's desolate form as they continued on their way to relegation at the foot of League One.

They remain 16 points adrift of safety with just eight games to go, after 559 travelling fans watched the latest defeat in Shropshire.

Simpson made four changes to his side, recalling Ben Barclay, Butterworth, Jack Ellis and Jack Armer.

Dropping to the bench were Jack Robinson and Taylor Charters, while Josh Emmanuel and Paul Huntington were out of the squad.

Hosts Shrewsbury made two changes, with Aiden O'Brien and Tom Flanagan replacing Jason Sraha and the suspended Jordan Shipley. In their line-up was ex-Blues captain Morgan Feeney, while Carlisle-born striker Ryan Bowman was among their subs, along with new signing Jack Price.

An RAF helicopter delivers the matchball as part of Shrewsbury's Military Matchday (Image: Richard Parkes)

Travelling fans booed Feeney when the Shrewsbury defender was on the ball, while there were early bookings for Harrison Neal and Taylor Perry in an opening spell of few chances.

Shrewsbury got on top around the 15-minute mark, Carl Winchester having a shot blocked then O'Brien breaking into the box, going down as Lewis came out but ref Simon Mather seeing no infringement in the challenge.

Lewis then rescued United when Neal was caught on the ball and Perry went through to finish, the keeper quickly off his line to make a good save.

Tom Bayliss had a shot blocked and Mal Benning failed to worry Lewis with a free-kick as the home side enjoyed much the better of things.

And come the 40th minute they had found a way through as Bayliss fed doh, he turned against Lavelle and, from the left, hit a low shot which beat Lewis.

It was almost two soon after but Lewis kept out Winchester's low, curling effort.

And Carlisle then should have levelled seconds before the break when, after a free-kick, Butterworth's shot turned into a pass for Lavelle, who had a free shot as the flag stayed down - but couldn't beat keeper Marko Marosi.

Early in the second half some good defending by Lavelle denied Udoh the chance of another, before Jack Diamond, after drifting away from Winchester, shot too high from 25 yards.

Taylor Perry takes a tumble under Dylan McGeouch's challenge (Image: Richard Parkes)

Udoh saw a shot blocked from the edge of the Blues area, before Butterworth came close to a leveller, pressing Flanagan before spinning away from the defender and Feeney before Marosi saved his powerful shot.

Butterworth, soon after, fired a free-kick low and wide as United remained on the attack more this half to no avail.

Price replaced the injured Winchester for his home debut as Simpson introduced Jordan Gibson and Alfie McCalmont for the closing stages, and later Robinson and Sean Grehan came on.

Bowman was among Shrewsbury's late introductions from the bench, with Udoh coming close to a second with a curling attempt from outside the box on 87 minutes.

After Sean Maguire went on as United's final substitution, Lavelle could have equalised in the 90th minute when picked out by Gibson, but he couldn't direct his header wide of Marosi.

At the other end, Lewis denied home sub Sobowale when he was played in by Bowman, and United couldn't find a way back as they slid to yet another defeat - their 25th in 38 league games.

Shrewsbury: Marosi, Feeney, Benning, Dunkley, Flanagan, Winchester (Price 73), Perry, Bayliss, O’Brien (Sobowale 86), Bloxham (Bowman 86), Udoh (Bennett 90). Not used: Burgoyne, Sraha, Tulloch.

Goal: Udoh 40.

Booked: Perry.

United: Lewis, Barclay, Lavelle, Mellish, Ellis (Grehan 84), Armer (Robinson 84), McGeouch (Maguire 89), Neal (McCalmont 73), Butterworth, Diamond (Gibson 73), Armstrong. Not used: Breeze, Charters.

Booked: Neal, McGeouch.

Ref: Simon Mather.

Crowd: 6,721 (559 United fans).