Author

James Crawley writes

Posted Saturday, January 4th 2020 @CrawleyJames92

Preview: Shrewsbury Town (H)

Saturday, January 4th 2020

The Emirates FA Cup is back this weekend, with City hosting Shrewsbury Town in the third round.

League One outfit Shrewsbury head back to BS3 for the first time since a 1-1 pre-season draw ahead of the 2018/19 campaign, when Callum O'Dowda was on the scoresheet for the Robins.

The Shrews are now into their fifth season in League One, only Rotherham United pipped them to a place in the Championship in the 2017/18 play-off final. Shrewsbury Town had ended third in the league, their highest ranked finish since 1989, when they competed in Division Two before it was reformed as the Championship.

Fast forward to the present day and today’s visitors sit 12^th in the third tier after a promising first half to the 2019/20 journey. They have lost only three times since the start of November, that’s a total of 13 games up to this point and two mini unbeaten runs amid a demanding winter period. Their form sets up a promising 2020 but can they add an FA Cup run to match? They’ve already beaten Bradford and Mansfield in earlier rounds to set up today’s third round tie.

And that’s thanks in part to City’s Academy graduate Max O’Leary. The young shotstopper is enjoying a season-long loan with Sam Rickett’s side, helping them keep nine clean sheets in 22 appearances to date and no doubt he will be looking to impress upon his return to BS3 in the summer.

MATCH DETAILS

Date: Saturday, January 4th 2020
Kick-off: 12.31pm
Competition: Emirates FA Cup, third round
Where: Ashton Gate
Officials: John Busby (referee), Andrew Fox and Darren Wilding (assistants), James Durkin (fourth official)

HEAD TO HEAD

Bristol City v Shrewsbury Town:
W: 15 (47%)
D: 6
L: 11

FORM - Last five games:
Bristol City: LLLWL
Shrewsbury: DWWLD

Club news

Tickets have gone on sale for City's trip to Wigan Athletic next weekend
City's home fixture versus for Birmingham City has been selected to live TV coverage by Sky Sports
Supporters are reminded that Saturday's FA Cup clash kicks off a minute later than usual in support of mental health campaign, Heads Up.

Word from the camp

Jamie McAllister has been discussing the prospect of rotation and has stressed that no mater the 18 players involved in Saturday's matchday squad, all understand the importance of the tie and the chance to progress to the fourth round.

MEMORABLE FIXTURE

Shrewsbury Town 2-3 Bristol City
Saturday, March 8th 2014
Sky Bet League One
Greenhous Meadow
Scorers: Emmanuel-Thomas 18, Mkandawire 55 OG, Bryan 63
Att: 6,069

City’s first visit to Greenhous Meadow was one to savour as the Robins edged a nervy five-goal affair in Shropshire.

The visitors looked well in control thanks to a faultless first-half display, taking a deserved lead through Jay Emmanuel-Thomas’ first goal in 13 games.

But Tamika Mkandawire levelled things up shortly before the interval with a speculative long-range shot which found the bottom corner before turning Sam Baldock’s cross into his own net nine minutes after the break.

Again Shrewsbury responded, this time through a Paul Parry header, but recalled winger Joe Bryan found a header of his own to turn the tide back in City’s favour on 63 minutes – this time for good.

Read the full report.

Bristol City XI: Fielding, El Abd, Moloney, Williams, Flint, Bryan, Elliott, Emmanuel-Thomas, Gillett, Pearson, Baldock.