Derby County were forced to settle for a point at the Montgomery Waters Meadow as they were held to a goalless draw by Shrewsbury Town.
The Rams dominated for large periods of the game and went close on two occasions in the first half. Richard Stearman’s glancing back post header just went wide of the goal, whilst Tom Barkhuizen was thwarted by Marko Marosi in the Shrewsbury goal.
Derby had to weather a bit of pressure at the start of the second half as Shrewsbury started the second half strongly, but Derby continued to drive forward.
David McGoldrick saw a header saved whilst in the final minute of normal time, Louie Sibley was denied by the goalkeeper as the Rams were forced to settle for a point.
Chances were at a premium for both sides in the first half, but it was Derby who dominated throughout. They enjoyed more of the ball but the Shrewsbury Town defence stood tall throughout the half to thwart Derby.
It took Derby until the 35th minute to have the game’s first opportunity, and Richard Stearman may wonder how he didn’t put the Rams ahead.
After Tom Barkhuizen was fouled on the edge of the box, Conor Hourihane whipped a threatening free kick into a dangerous area but the defender only managed to glance his header wide of the goal from close range.
Five minutes later, Hourihane was again the architect as he was allowed space to run into deep in the opposition half. He laid it through to Barkhuizen who had made an intelligent run, but Shrewsbury goalkeeper Marko Marosi was out quickly to deny the forward as it was goalless at the break.
But, the home side came out strongly at the start of the second half and forced a number of chances to take the lead. Dan Udoh lacked composure in front of goal as he scooped over, whilst Matthew Pennington headed goalwards on 50 minutes his effort went over the crossbar.
Joe Wildsmith had to be alert to hold a Luke Leahy free kick, whilst the same player tried his luck from 50 yards as he spotted the Rams’ goalkeeper off his line, but the ball narrowly went over the crossbar.
Derby finished the game strongly, with substitute David McGoldrick going close on 74 minutes. The forward, who was playing his first minutes of the campaign, headed goalwards from a Max Bird cross but Marko Marosi made the save.
And the goalkeeper once again was the hero as he denied another substitute Louie Sibley in the final minute of normal time. But, that wasn’t the end of the action as deep into stoppage time Dan Udoh was given space to shoot inside the box but he fired over as the game ended goalless.
Despite failing to find the back of the net, there was a lot to admire about Derby’s first half performance. Slick passing was the order of play, tiring out the opponents and putting Shrewsbury on the back foot throughout the opening 45 minutes.
The Rams got the ball in good areas, and utilised the wide players. Nathaniel Mendez-Laing and Tom Barkhuizen were the main outlets for the Rams, whilst Conor Hourihane’s quality on the ball was evident throughout.
Eiran Cashin once again stood out, not only in his defensive duties but also in his distribution. The defender, who impressed on Saturday against Barnsley, was once again tested against tall physical strikers in both Rekeil Pyke and Dan Udoh but the defender stood up well to their threats.
He was also Derby’s main starting point for attacks as he sprayed two particularly delightful balls out wide in the first half which caught the eye as it remained goalless at half time.
After the break, the home side started to impose themselves on the game. It meant Joe Wildsmith, along with the back four, had to be alert to the threats they possessed. The goalkeeper was in the right place when he was called upon as he saved from Luke Leahy, but Derby did finish the better of the two sides.
The substitutes once again came on and made an impact, with Lewis Dobbin showing neat touches and a burst of pace, whilst Louie Sibley was a threat from the left-hand side.
David McGoldrick was also awarded his first minutes of the season after sustaining a pre-season injury and got stuck in immediately. He went closest to the opening goal in the second half as his header was saved by Marco Marosi in the Shrewsbury goal.
But as much as the Rams pushed they were unable to make the breakthrough and had to settle for a point in their second away league fixture of the campaign.
Shrewsbury Town: Marosi, Leahy (C), Pennington, Udoh, Pyke, Bayliss, Dunkley, Nurse, Shipley, Dacosta, Flanagan.
Substitutes: Burgoyne, Moore, Bloxham, Caton, Craig, Barlow.
Derby County: Wildsmith, Hourihane, Cashin, Barkhuizen (Sibley 63’), Bird, Collins, Mendez-Laing (Dobbin 63’), Smith (McGoldrick 53’), Roberts (Forsyth 78’), Stearman, Knight.
Substitutes: Anang, Thompson, Rooney.
