CITY RES 3 SHREWSBURY RES 1

IF POINTS are awarded for attitude, then Filipe Morais will provide City with a timely late haul.

Hammering rain, which made Valley Parade feel more like mid-winter than early spring, and a heavy pitch made sure yesterday’s game was hardly the most enticing stage to continue his comeback from long-time injury exile.

But the Portuguese displayed a passion and eagerness worthy of a bigger occasion. Here is a player clearly desperate to make up every moment of those eight months injured on the sidelines.

Phil Parkinson wasn’t at the game as he hot-footed it to Gillingham to spy on next home opponents Walsall – and two potential play-off foes.

But he would have been delighted to hear the report on the winger’s fifth appearance in a fortnight since the serious knee injury which threatened to write off his season before it began.

Morais was not content with simply packing another 62 minutes under his belt.

He went hunting for the ball whenever City were on the attack and looked determined to score – cursing loudly when one opportunity flew wide.

City have all but wrapped up the Final Third Development League western title and bossed the first half – but surprisingly went in level.

Sam Wright appeared to slip on the soggy surface as he fired over and skipper James King’s close-range stab was blocked on the line by Chris Gallagher.

Morais cut inside for a shot deflected past the post before Wright sealed the growing pressure with a precise finish from 20 yards.

Mark Marshall, one of City’s three first-teamers along with Morais and Greg Leigh, was close to making it two before Shrewsbury levelled against the run of play.

Again the conditions seemed to play a part as a skidding cross from Ethan Jones was bundled into his own net by centre half Kesi Omolokun.

Morais continued probing after the break with a snap-shot turned behind by Charlie Bannister. The Shrewsbury keeper then denied Sumaili Cissa after Morais had controlled Wright’s angled pass with a cushioned first touch and set him up.

As the pitch grew worse under the constant deluge, Joe Cracknell was called into rare action to tip away an Ethan Jones blast.

But it was sub Ellis Hudson, Morais’ replacement, who restored City's advantage with a goal that the senior man would have been proud of.

The apprentice showed good pace to skip through a couple of sliding lunges before dinking the ball over the keeper.

Not content with that, he then pulled off a peach of a pass to release Cissa for a late third.

CITY RES: Cracknell, Boateng, King, Omolokun, Leigh (Waters 75), Morais (Hudson 62), Devine, Wright, Marshall (Windle 75), Payne, Cissa. Sub not used: Hallwood.