Steve Cotterill feels Shrewsbury’s luck is changing after victory at Rotherham

Posted Sunday, March 20, 2022 by PA

Shrewsbury manager Steve Cotterill feels his side’s luck is turning after they produced a stunning 3-0 win at League One leaders Rotherham.

Strikes from Daniel Udoh and Elliott Bennett, either side of Angus MacDonald’s straight red secured the victory for the visitors. Ryan Bowman put further gloss on the result in added time.

Paul Warne’s table-toppers were far from their best and now only have a four-point cushion in the automatic promotion berths.

The Shrews forged ahead after 36 minutes with Udoh finishing clinically into the bottom corner from George Nurse’s pass.

MacDonald then saw red two minutes later for seemingly using an elbow in a collision with Luke Leahy.

The visitors could have made the Millers pay even more before the break with Matthew Pennington close to a second from a corner.

Bennett tapped in the clincher with 78 minutes gone after Bowman’s curling effort was palmed into his path by Josh Vickers. Bowman rounded off victory one minute into added time.

Cotterill said: “We are pleased with the win. It is about creating opportunities and we feel like we have been doing that a long time.

“We are getting the rub of the green now. They are now going in the back of the net opposed to wide or saved.

“We had a good handle on the game and in control of it. To get the goal when we did was really good. It was a great finish.

“We know how difficult it is when you end up with 10 men, but at the end of the day, it’s a sending-off.

“We have had players sent off for less this season. I thought the referee was brave to give it against a team who are top of the table and in front of a partisan crowd.”

Rotherham manager Warne admitted his players were below par.

He said: “It’s a bad day at the office but we are going to lose football games.

“I thought the game was pretty even first half. We were not at our best against a very good side. We knew they were going to be tough, they are one of the in-form sides in the league.

“The sending-off was crucial and it always is. I thought Angus led with his arm and didn’t actually elbow the lad. It was a big turning point for us.

“We tried to stay in the game as long as we could. It’s hard to press when you are down to 10 men because you are going to get popped off.

“It’s a setback, obviously, but the lads have bounced back before and we will give them a couple of days away from football to reset.”