Shrewsbury: Ryan Esson, Darren Moss, Darran Kempson, David Hunt (Danny Hall), David Hibbert (Fola Onibuje), Michael Symes, Chris Humphrey, Steven Leslie, Colin Murdock (c), Marc Tierney, Jimmy Ryan

Subs: Kelvin Langmead, Chris MacKenzie, Sean Clancy

Fulham: Tony Warner, Moritz Volz, Carlos Bocanegra (c), Paul Konchesky, Alexey Smertin, David Healy (Collins John), Steven Davis, Diomansy Kamara, Ian Pearce, Clint Dempsey, Simon Davies

Subs: Ricardo Batista, Papa Bouba Diop, Elliott Omozusi, Adam Watts

Goal: D.Kamara

Referee: Mr Paul Taylor (Hertfordshire)
Assistant Referees: Mr D Hutchinson (Cheshire) and Mr A M Newbold (Leicestershire)
Fourth Official: Peter J Grove (West Midlands)

Gary Peters names a side that includes just four of the players who took part in the 3-0 defeat at MK Dons.Lawrie Sanchez in contrast names a very strong looking side as the Premiership look to progress in the competition.

Town looked bright in the opening exchanges and Chris Humphrey showed good skills to nick the ball off Konchesky as he looked to shield the ball out, Humphreys cut inside and then laid a ball across the goal for Hibbert but Warner was down quickly to tip the ball away.

David Healey found himself in a lot of space down the right, he curled over a great ball to find Kamara climbing well, he got a good looking header in on goal that beat Esson but the bar was there to save Town, the ball bounced up high again in the danger area but Murdock did well to head the ball behind for a corner.The ball was whipped into the back post to find a Fulham head, it was nodded back into the danger area to find Bocanegra in space in the area, he drove in a low shot but luckily for Town it flew wide of the far post.

Fulham were showing their class at times and but not for wayward finishing they could easily have been a couple of goals to the good. Chances had fallen to the Premiership side and when Konchesky broke into the Town box he smashed in a shot which flew just wide of the far post.

Town hadn't had that many chances but Jimmy Ryan had a couple of great long range efforts, the first a 35 yard lob that had Warner frantically back peddling and then moments later the ball came to Ryan about 25 yards out and he drove in a great shot but it was straight at Warner and he held on well.

As the half went on Town had settled a lot more and were looking more comfortable than and not as rushed as they had been in the early part of the game.The home side were trying to use the width of Steve Leslie and Chris Humphrey with Humphrey seeing a lot of the ball down the right and was giving Paul Konchesky a good test.

Fulham tested Ryan Esson in the Town goal from a free-kick, Simon Davies smashed in an excellent kick from around 30-yards out that Kamara jumped looking of the flick on, but Esson was quickly off his line to get in bravely to punch clear.

Town were making a game of it and when a Fulham attack broke down the home side played it out of defence calmly, the ball was pushed to Symes who had Davies at his back but the Town forward showed good skills to turn the Fulham player and was away down field, he pushed play out wide to Leslie on the left who took play forward and then put in a low cross but it was easy for the Fulham defence who cleared down field.

Town looked to have a great chance for a run in on goal just before the break, another Fulham attack broke down with Town calmly passing the ball out of defence, it was with Darren Moss who then played a superb ball down the line to find Hibbert, he turned Pearce and the Fulham player was forced to give away the free-kick on pick up a yellow card.

Half-time: 0-0

Town were playing some good football at times and this was shown early on when the ball came to Jimmy Ryan, he was just inside the Town half but played a superb diagonal ball in behind the Fulham def3ence to Leslie to run on to, he collected the ball and then played a great first time cross towards the inrushing Hibbert, but the ball was just behind the Town forward and the move broke down.

The visitors grabbed the lead just before the quarter hour mark with simple goal.They won a corner which was curled over towards the back post and there was Diomansy Kamara to flick the ball into the roof of the net to make it 1-0.

Town were nearly straight back on level terms when they continued to get at the visitors.Town did well to win a corner, this was swung high into the back post towards Kempson and Murdock, Murdock got a downward header which went into the turf and then looped up over Warner but dropped just wide of the far post.

With just over quarter of an hour of the game remaining Gary Peters made a double substitution with Fola Onibuje on to replace Dave Hibbert and Danny Hall on to replace Dave Hunt.

Town had a superb chance to go level after some more great work from Chris Humphrey, he did well on the right and then brought play infield before putting a superb low ball to find Danny Hall and Fola Onibuje in behind the Fulham defence, Hall went for the ball but it squirmed under his foot and this took the pace off it which meant it didn't run to Onibuje and Warner was out to gratefully collect.

Fulham were showing at times the pace of a Premier League side and they way they moved the ball around quickly to create space.They did this superbly with a number of short quick passes to break down the left, they got in behind the Town defence but Darren Moss showed his class to get back and slide in to block the cross.

Town had the net budging with minutes of the half remaining after Onibuje had shown great strength to cut inside and force the free-kick.Steve Leslie was over the ball and delivered a great ball curled in behind the Fulham defence that Darran Kempson got a clean downward header which flew into the side netting, but the assistant had already flagged for an offside.

With the game approaching injury time Town were pushing for the equaliser and pressurising the opposition well.They were working high in the Fulham half and looking for the chances but although they got a lot of the ball in the area they just couldn't get the final touch to beat Warner.

Full-time: 0-1