City 4 Shrewsbury 2

One of Stuart McCall's new year's resolutions was for City to start scoring more at home.

They had mustered only 11 goals in 11 league games at Valley Parade this campaign prior to 2008.

Not really what was expected given the season-ticket deal which has seen over 13,000 fans regularly turn out.

But come the end of January and City are certainly helping McCall keep his resolution.

They have notched seven goals in two games on home turf and if they keep that ratio up then the Coral Windows Stadium will become the fortress it should be.

This win was certainly not as clear cut as the 3-0 victory over Notts County, though it looked as if it might be at half-time.

City were 2-0 up and could have had more as they put together a quality passing display which belied their lowly position.

Inevitably, all eyes were on Willy Topp after he was given his first start.

His manager had warned fans not to expect too much too soon but it took him just six minutes to demonstrate what all the fuss has been about.

A quality first touch saw him get beyond his marker on the left-hand side of the box and he picked out Kyle Nix.

The midfielder showed why his hopes of finishing top scorer might yet come true by coolly lifting the ball over the keeper to put City ahead.

The dangerous Guy Madjo was just inches wide of getting an equaliser ten minutes later with a shot from outside the box.

Then Thorne went even closer after a slide-rule pass from Topp, this time out on the right, put him in on goal but his powerful drive went agonisingly wide of the far post.

On 36 minutes, the Chilean craftsman almost brought the house down after coming agonisingly close to converting the move of the match.

Tom Penford - given a surprise starting berth in place of the injured Eddie Johnson - launched a raking 40-yard pass which put Omar Daley clear. The winger squared the ball for Topp, whose shot from just inside the box was blocked with the goal beckoning.

But the second goal was not long in coming. On 40 minutes, Daley once again found space on the right and his left-foot shot from just outside the box took a deflection and wrong-footed goalkeeper Glyn Garner.

Marc Pugh almost pulled one back but City were good value for their 2-0 interval lead.

The Shrews came back into the game in the second half after boss Gary Peters threw on Dave Hibbert.

The City old boy got the winner in the corresponding match earlier in the season and it took him just four minutes to register again as he got his head to a flick-on following a long throw-in from the left.

Majo's left-foot shot flew just over minutes later as Town - who were a big threat from set-pieces all night - wrestled the impetus.

But City regained their two-goal advantage after 56 minutes. Another good effort from outside the box by Daley was blocked and the ball fell kindly to Thorne, who made no mistake from close range.

As Topp was replaced by Conlon, it looked like job done but the Shrews had other ideas.

On 65 minutes, Darran Kempson got clear of Matt Clarke from a free-kick and his header back into the danger area was eventually met by Pugh after a goalmouth scramble.

The ball was cleared but the assistant referee ruled that Pugh's effort had crossed the line.

Town's direct approach continued to worry City but it looked as if respite was on hand when Nix was sent sprawling after a challenge by Kelvin Langmead in the box but the referee mysteriously gave the foul the other way.

However, City could finally breathe easier five minutes from time when David Wetherall was ad-judged to have been pulled back by Kempson following a cross into the six-yard box. Conlon kept up his cult hero status by lashing home with his left foot from the spot.

McCall said afterwards: "Even at 2-0 and 3-1 we knew it was still going to be tough.

"I thought them bringing Hibbert on at half-time gave them an added aerial threat and without Conlon on and Thorne struggling with his neck, it gave them an added aerial advantage.

"They made the most of it with a long throw and a free-kick.

"It is always disappointing to concede goals from set-pieces but sometimes you have to say numerically we just didn't have enough man-mountains'.

"But it's good that we came back and Baz got the penalty and all in all you've got to be pleased.

"It's nice to back up the Notts County result. Someone asked me before new year what my resolution would be and the main thing, obviously as well as winning games, was to score more goals at home.

"That's seven in two games so that's pleasing."

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