Shrewsbury Town vs Oldham Athletic. Sky Bet League One.
Montgomery Waters MeadowAttendance6,383.
Monday 1 January 2018 19:22, UK
Shaun Whalley's first-half goal kept Shrewsbury flying high in second spot in League One after beating struggling Oldham 1-0.
The home side started brightly with top scorer Stefan Payne testing goalkeeper Johnny Placide from 25 yards before their early pressure was rewarded with a 16th-minute breakthrough.
Winger Whalley followed up to convert the rebound from close range for his ninth goal in league and cup this season after Placide was unable to hold on to Arthur Gnahoua's shot.
Whalley then bent a free-kick just off target before Placide did well to push away Payne's header after the striker was picked out by Whalley's cross.
Latics found first-half chances in short supply with Jack Byrne's 20-yard drive straight at Dean Henderson their best effort of the match.
The visitors threatened at the start of the second period with Henderson saving Anthony Gerrard's header before Aristote Nsiala lifted a Whalley corner over the bar from close range at the other end.
Byrne came close to netting an equaliser 12 minutes from time, but his low drive from just outside the box was pushed away by the diving Henderson to leave Oldham just outside the bottom four.
