Shrewsbury 0 Manchester United 3: Lucky knockout punch was nowhere to be seen, unlike the mud

United were comfortable in victory

(Getty Images)

When he was captain of Yorkshire, Brian Close, who could claim to have been England’s toughest cricketer, would tell his dressing room that he could beat Muhammad Ali. There would be smirks but Close, who was no mean amateur boxer, would glower: “One punch, all I would need is one lucky punch.” And the discussion would be closed.

That, in essence, is how all clubs like Shrewsbury approach these Cup ties. The sort of lucky punch epitomised by Freddy Eastwood’s spectacular strike for Southend United that knocked a Manchester United side that boasted Cristiano Ronaldo in its ranks out of the League Cup at Roots Hall. When the club declined to renew his contract a couple of years ago, they referred to Eastwood in their statement as a “Southend legend”.

There were 11 candidates for the title of “Shrewsbury legend” but few stepped up to claim it. Abu Ogogo cleared off the line but he only delayed the opening goal.

The pity of the night was that Shrewsbury’s biggest game of their FA Cup lives overshadowed the moments of genuine heroism encapsulated in their victories over Cardiff and Sheffield Wednesday that had brought them here.

Manchester United may resemble Ali circa 1978, when he was boxing from memory, ready to be relieved of his world title, but in the FA Cup at least they have always proved a very hard giant to slay on the little grounds of England.

You would have to go back to 1984 and Dean Court, Bournemouth, for the kind of upset Micky Mellon was plotting in the manager’s room, with its big red Chesterfield sofa. Then, Harry Redknapp had riled his Bournemouth team by telling them Manchester United were so confident that their players were watching the horse racing in the lounge rather than bothering to warm up.

Mellon had said that, naturally, a team whose wage bill was one-hundredth of Manchester United’s would not be going toe-to-toe with Louis van Gaal’s side.

However, Shrewsbury tiptoed into this game and when they did cross the halfway line, they rather quickly scurried back. In League One, Shrewsbury’s home form has been quietly dreadful. Their last victory here was against a side from Greater Manchester, but it was Bury and it was in October.

Aside from Michael Carrick, whose error had helped Midtjylland to their improbable victory over United last week, in a stadium that looked not unlike the four neat boxes that formed the New Meadow, you could judge the visitors’ strength from their bench.

Upon it were players who would only be household names in those houses where MUTV’s broadcasts of United’s Under-21 matches were required family viewing. Sergio Romero, who had prevented last Thursday’s defeat by Midtjylland becoming an utter rout, had a busy final 10 minutes but no more.

Nevertheless, the night was still a very big deal. Shropshire is not one of the nation’s great sporting centres.

Joe Hart is Shrewsbury’s most famous sporting son. Billy Wright, who captained Wolverhampton Wanderers to the championship, was brought up in Ironbridge. Matthew Webb, the first man to swim the Channel, came from Dawley, not far from Telford. After that, you struggle.

Shrewsbury may in the past have beaten Bobby Robson’s Ipswich and David Moyes’ Everton, and given Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea a hard, draining game, but United are still the biggest draw.

“We haven’t had crowds like this since the Elton John concert here,” said a steward, explaining why vehicles were being directed on to a large swathe of grass beyond the car park.

The Severn may not back on to the New Meadow as it did to the old Gay Meadow, where Ipswich and Everton went down, but its influence is still felt. Several cars began to sink into some very soft mud, including, it has to be said, my own. An attempted rescue mounted by Shropshire Police led to their own truck spinning its wheels and sinking into the brown stuff.

They didn’t play anything by Elton in the warm-up, not even “I’m Still Standing”, which would have been the kindest statement to have made about Van Gaal as he prepared for the first of the three matches in seven days that would determine whether he clung on at Old Trafford. After Shrewsbury’s big night, he remains upright.