Mark Dempsey’s 87th minute winner set up a money-spinning FA Cup fourth round tie against Premier Liverpool for ten-man Shrewsbury Town, who came from a goal down, to shatter Fulham hearts at the Gay Meadow tonight.
Ian Branfoot’s side led through a fortuitous goal from striker Rory Hamill just before the half hour mark and when Welsh under-21 midfielder Paul Evans was sent off for a late challenge on Fulham skipper Simon Morgan just before the break, it seemed as though the Cottagers might be booking a big date with top flight opposition themselves.
But the Shrews, who had dominated the first period within finding the back of the net, stormed back in the second half to show the watching Roy Evans that his Liverpool side will certainly be in for a battle in ten days time. They were level within four minutes of the second period getting under when top scorer Steve Anthrobus headed Ray Woods’ corner between Robbie Herrera and the near post that the Fulham left back was guarding.
Shrewsbury’s highest gate in five years roared their approval but Fulham recovered their composure and had their own chances to go back in front. Goalkeeper Paul Edwards had to dash off his line to prevent Hamill from scoring a second goal and man of the match Mark Taylor produced some superb goal-line heroics to keep out a goalbound effort from Danny Bolt after Martin Thomas had skilfully left the keeper on the floor.
Town tore forward again in the final stages and got their reward three minutes from time when substitute Dempsey drilled home having left Herrera and John Marshall trailing in his wake after Austin Berkley unlocked the Fulham defence at the end of a devastating Shrewsbury counter-attack.
The crestfallen Cottagers would have been forgiven for thinking they stood a good chance of welcoming Liverpool to SW6 for a much needed financial boost after Hamill pounced on some comical defending to give the Whites the lead. Edwards smashed a routine clearance into the backside of left back Chris Withe and the ball broke kindly for Northern Irish forward Hamill, who gleefully accepted the gift. It would prove to a false down for Fulham.
SHREWSBURY TOWN (4-4-2): Edwards; Taylor, Walton, Whiston, Withe; Woods, Evans, R. Scott, Berkley; Rowbotham (Dempsey 73), Anthrobus (Stevens 90). Sub (not used): Clarke.
BOOKED: Anthrobus.
SENT OFF: Evans.
GOALS: Anthrobus (49), Dempsey (87).
FULHAM (4-4-2): Lange, Jupp, Herrera, Angus (Moore 53), Blake; Marshall, Thomas (Conroy 90), Morgan, Bolt; Cusack, Hamill. Subs (not used): Moore, Barkus.
BOOKED: Jupp, Morgan, Bolt, Cusack.
GOAL: Hamill (29).
REFEREE: Graham Pooley (Bishop’s Stortford)
ATTENDANCE: 7,983.
