CARDIFF VS SHREWSBURY

Russell Slade made nine changes from the Bluebirds last outing, a home victory over Blackburn, for this FA Cup Third Round match.

The first chance fell to the visitors as former Wrexham striker Andy Mangan wriggled free but he couldn’t hit the target in the first minute of the game.

City’s first chance came in the 14th minute when the strike duo of Federico Macheda and Alex Revell combined, with the latter eventually having an effort blocked. From the resulting set piece Bruno Ecuele Manga saw his half-volley drop just wide.

Target-man Revell then had another chance as the Bluebirds worked the ball wonderfully down the right-hand side with Scott Malone squaring for Revell, and he went close from six-yards. The striker, who recently returned from a loan spell at Wigan, had a further opportunity moments later. Macheda’s long-range effort was spilled by Halstead, with Revell’s shot from an acute angle saved by the Shrewsbury ‘keeper.

The lively Sammy Ameobi couldn’t have gone much closer when he hit the post from Peter Whittingham’s lay-off; in the closest the two sides had come in the last major action of the first half.

The deadlock was finally broken in the 62nd minute when striker Mangan rose highest at the back post to nod home Scott Vernon’s cross into the corner.

Former Manchester United man Macheda had City’s best chance to level the match, but he found his shot saved by Halstead. Despite late pressure, the Shrews held on to end Cardiff’s FA Cup hopes for 2015/16.

Cardiff City: Moore, Fabio (Noone ’74), Manga, Whittingham ©, Macheda, Dikgacoi (Kennedy ’63), Revell (Mason ’80), Tamas, O’Keefe, Malone, Ameobi. Subs not used: Marshall, John, Gunnarsson, Oshilaja.

Shrewsbury Town: Halstead, Sadler, Whitbread, Black, Gerrard, Grimmer, Vernon (Grandison ’83), Mangan (Akpa-Akpro ’82), Knight-Percival, Clark, Cole. Subs not used: Leutwiler, Whalley, Caton, Patterson, Smith.