Shrewsbury Town secured their place in the Carabao Cup second round with a thrilling 4-3 penalty shootout victory over Salford City. Arkell Jude-Boyd fired the decisive spot-kick into the top corner after an extraordinary nine missed penalties in the shootout.
Shrewsbury took the lead two minutes after half-time through Josh Davison’s first goal for the club. The striker, who joined from Tranmere Rovers in June, fired a low shot into the bottom corner. Salford equalised in the 77th minute through Kyrell Malcolm after Shrewsbury defender Sam Stubbs was sent off for a second yellow card. The drama continued as Salford’s Will Aimson was also shown a red card in added time, leaving both teams with ten men.
The shootout was a rollercoaster of emotions, with nine penalties missed before Jude-Boyd stepped up to seal the win. Both goalkeepers starred, with Will Brook and Salford’s counterpart making key saves. Salford’s Ollie Turton hit the base of a post before Jude-Boyd’s decisive strike.
Shrewsbury will now focus on their next fixture, an away game against Oldham on 27 February 2027, where they currently sit 8th in the League Two table. The win in the Carabao Cup will give them momentum as they aim to climb higher in the league.
