Exit with a whimper

Photo: Pictures by ALAN HOWARTH

GETTING SHIRTY . . . lone striker Rhys Turner is tugged back by an uncompromising Shrewsbury defender.

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Shrewsbury 2, Athletic 0

A DISMAL effort from a much-changed Athletic side saw Darren Kelly's men slip out of the Johnstone's Paint Trophy at the first-round stage.

Goals either side of half-time from Liam McAlinden and Tyrone Barnett gave a Shrewsbury outfit captained by ex-Athletic favourite James Wesolowski a comfortable victory.

But they hardly had to work hard for their openings, with both strikes a result of defensive howlers.

At the other end of the field, Athletic's problems resurfaced after a bright attacking show at Bury.

Other than long-range shots by George Green, Kelly's side barely fashioned a serious attempt at goal. It was a miserable night for all concerned.

Kelly made five changes to the side that drew 1-1 three days earlier. George Edmundson started at centre-back and there were two other full debuts. In from the start was Mark Yeates, watched from the stands by his former Bradford boss Phil Parkinson. And also in from the off was Green, occupying the David Dunn role behind lone striker Rhys Turner.

Perhaps understandably given the changes, Athletic took a while to warm up. The visitors could have been behind after two minutes when only David Cornell's legs halted a shot from Barnett as Shrewsbury picked a way down the middle.

After four minutes, Shrewsbury captain and former Latics favourite James Wesolowski – starting his first game for seven months after injury – almost announced his return with a bang, hitting an effort at Cornell after absent-minded defending from right-back Timothee Dieng saw him caught in possession.

With Edmundson showing up well and Yeates seeing plenty of the ball on the left, Athletic worked their way into the contest without posing too much of a threat.

Lee Croft fired over a lovely cross which James Wilson, up from a previous corner, couldn't get on the end of, while Green sliced a long-range effort well wide.

Dieng committed the cardinal sin of playing a loose square ball across the field 30 yards out and McAlinden advanced down the left before smashing a left-foot shot beyond Cornell after 40 minutes.

It wasn't until the stroke of half-time that home 'keeper Jayson Leutwiler was tested.

Green, watching a clearance on to his favoured left boot, hit a fierce volley from the edge of the box which the Shrews' stopper pushed out.

It took Micky Mellon's side only four minutes to double their lead after the restart, from another defensive blunder. James Wilson, outstanding this season, presented the chance to Barnett and he skated round Cornell, who came out to meet him, before rolling the ball into the unguarded goal.

Rhys Murphy was introduced to the action in place of Connor Brown in an attempt to stimulate Athletic’s attack.

Green managede a 35-yard shot that caused some discomfort to Leutwiler as he turned it round his left-hand post. And Athletic could have had a penalty when Murphy went down under a hefty Grandison challenge.

Yeates chipped on to the roof of the net after a promising attack in the 70th minute and Jonathan Forte was introduced to the action soon afterwards.

Athletic threw men forward in a bid to get a foothold that failed to materialise. Mellon's side eased home, leaving Athletic involved in only half of the competitions they entered at the start of the season after successive cup exits.