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  • Date: 2008-08-09
  • Kick-off: 15:00
  • Attendance: 5812
  • Referee: Gibbs, P

Live Commentary

90mins

The ref has blown his whistle for full time.

87mins

Grant Holt is being taken off, Chris Humphrey has come on in his place.

85mins

Goal!! Dave Hibbert scores for Shrewsbury.

84mins

The referee has booked Simon Yeo.

79mins

Goal!! Shrewsbury have scored with Graham Coughlan putting it in the back of the net.

79mins

Goal!! Graham Coughlan scores for Shrewsbury.

75mins

Richard Walker is replaced by Simon Yeo.

70mins

Shrewsbury are replacing Paul Murray with Stephen Hindmarch.

67mins

Shrewsbury are replacing Richard Walker with Dave Hibbert.

62mins

Francis Green is replaced by Gareth Evans.

51mins

Grant Holt takes a penalty for Shrewsbury and scores!.

46mins

Macclesfield are replacing Sean Hessey with Izak Reid.

46mins

The second half is under way with the score currently at 1 v 0.

45mins

Half time whistle is blown by P Gibbs

44mins

Richard Walker is booked for unsporting behaviour.

31mins

Goal!! Shane Sherriff scores for Shrewsbury.

18mins

Sean Hessey is booked for unsporting behaviour.

0mins

It's 3pm on Saturday, August 9th, the match has kicked off.

Match Report

Shrewsbury Town wasted no time in confirming their position as the bookies favourites to land the League Two title with a 4-0 opening day demolition of visiting Macclesfield Town .

Leading 1-0 at the break - although in complete control of the match - Shrewsbury banged in three more in the second half as the contest became a rout, with the visitors comprehensively put to the sword.

The home side had chances aplenty even before Shane Cansdell-Sherriff fired them spectacularly ahead on 31 minutes.

A penalty just after the break from record signing Grant Holt putting the contest beyond any doubt.

Centre-back Graham Coughlin was able to come forward and join the fun to score with a close range header, with the scoring completed late on by substitute Dave Hibbert.

Skipper Ben Davies flashed two fine efforts just over Macclesfield crossbar and saw a third headed off the line as Shrewsbury dominated the opening half hour - during which Holt also had a header superbly saved by John Brain.

But on 31 minutes, Shrewsbury were to be denied no longer and the excellent Cansdell-Sherriff - a summer acquisition from Tranmere Rovers - broke from midfield to smash home a stunning shot from 30 yards.

Six minutes into the second half, Shrewsbury went further ahead when Davies was sent crashing in the box by Macclesfield defender Paul Morgan.

Forward stepped Holt - for whom Shrewsbury paid a club record fee of £175,000 to Nottingham Forest last month - and he made absolutely no mistake from the penalty spot.

In the 79th minute, Coughlin was on hand to head home a Kevin McIntyre corner and five minutes from time Hibbert netted from five yards when the visitors failed to clear a corner from Davies as, for the second season running, Shrewsbury opened the campaign with a 4-0 victory.

The outlook for Paul Simpson's men is bright, but an arduous nine months look in prospect for Macclesfield.

Shrewsbury Town

Macclesfield Town

Corners

87

Fouls

1524

Goal attempts

209

Shots off target

96

Offsides

40

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