Match Verdict: Shrewsbury Town 2 Chesterfield 1 - Danny Wilson left fuming at '˜shocking' referee

Shrewsbury Town's Junior Brown brings down Chesterfield's Gboly Ariyibi

Adam El-Abd’s late header took the points away from the Spireites, who saw their early lead through Jay O’Shea cancelled out by Junior Brown.

But before O’Shea opened the scoring, Wilson believes Gboly Ariyibi should have been awarded a spot-kick after being challenged in the box.

And his frustration was doubled ten minutes from time when Shrews forward Ivan Toney lunged in on Gary Liddle.

“The referee was absolutely shocking – that’s all I can say,” said Wilson. “What more can you say? It should have been a sending off (for Ivan Toney) for the late challenge on Gary Liddle. The whole stadium saw it. How he gets away with a yellow card I’ll never know.

“And he can go blue in the face telling me it was a yellow card, it was an absolutely incredible decision.

“The penalty decision we should have had is a stonewaller. And he got very lucky actually, because we scored seconds after that, so nobody said more to him, because he made some really bad decisions.”

Spireites’ frustrations at that penalty shout were forgotten within a minute as O’Shea strode onto a deft touch from Ched Evans and drove the ball past Jayson Leutwiler from 15 yards to give Wilson’s men the lead.

Ched Evans has his shot blocked by Shrewsbury Town goalkeeper Jayson Leutwiler

The typically lively Ariyibi came close to making it two when he cut into the box with Ryan McGivern and Brown trailing in his wake, but his low effort was pushed around the post.

Shrewsbury were not easily deterred, and levelled mid-way through the half when the last of four successive corners from Choulay was met by the head of Brown.

Evans turned defence into attack for the Spireites after another Shrewsbury set piece on the half hour – driving forward down the left before finding Jon Nolan, who teed up Dan Gardner up for a long-range effort just wide.

Gardner tested Leutwiler with his next effort, forcing the Swiss stopper to parry his bending effort after fine work in the build-up from O’Shea.

Chesterfield's Ched Evans reacts after his shot goes wide

Wilson’s men had the better of the second half, with Ariyibi a persistent threat, and Evans forcing Leutwiler to concede a corner with a ferociously struck 35-yard free kick shortly before two blocked efforts. But the Spireites’ were again undone from a corner when Shrews skipper El-Abd crashed through a crowd of bodies six minutes from time to power Jim O’Brien’s delivery beyond Ryan Fulton.

Despite the result, Wilson praised his players for their performance.

“I’m disappointed with the two goals conceded, but that’s the only thing I’m disappointed with,” he added. “The general play was fantastic. We put a very good side to the sword for long periods.

“A lot of people were talking about Shrewsbury being one of the teams that might go under the radar a little bit, and I think they will, because they’ve got some good players.”

Shrewsbury: (4-4-2): Leutwiler; Riley, El-Abd, McGivern, Brown; Choulay (Jones 59), Black, Deegan, O’Brien; Leitch-Smith (Dodds 65), Toney (Waring 82)

Subs not used: Halstead, Lancashire, Ogogo, Mangan.

Chesterfield: (4-2-3-1): Fulton; McGinn, Hird, Evatt, Donohue; Nolan, Liddle; Ariyibi, O’Shea (Dennis 90+2), Gardner (Morrison 87); Evans

Subs not used: Allinson, Raglan, Dimaio, Simons, Maguire.