There were ‘feisty’ scenes as Shrewsbury and Walsall fans mouth off and throw cones over a fence at Saturday’s League Two clash.
There was strong police and steward presence around New Meadow and in between the home and away end, on hand to prevent chaos ensuing.
The game saw Priestley Farquharson boosted Walsall’s League Two play-off hopes with goals in each half to also see the Saddlers end a seven-game winless run while also stopping Shrewsbury’s five-game winning streak.
Shrewsbury ended the match with 10 men having seen Josh Ruffels get a red card late on for a high boot on Jellis, with boss Gavin Cowan saying Salop should appeal Josh Ruffels’ “farcical” late dismissal.
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On if Shrewsbury should appeal Ruffels’ red card, Cowan said, per Shropshire Star: “Absolutely. I’m guided by the powers that be but, looking back at it, it’s a really poor decision.
“It’s whether the FA and the referee have the humility to look back – it’s very rare that these get overturned.
“I think they’re loath to do so because then it sets a precedent for everybody to appeal.
“My suggestion would be that we appeal because it’s farcical. It’s a farcical decision, as is the penalty (appeal) on Trey.”
He added: “(I was) just shocked like everybody else. It’s embarrassing really.
“He’s fully entitled to go for that ball. It’s no dangerous play, there’s no studs showing.
“The player’s stooped down and it’s fair game. You’ve got to go for the ball and the player has made absolutely the most of it with no mark on his face.
“I don’t want to criticise the Walsall players because they’ve got a job to do. That’s how they see fit to do it.
“The big centre half at the back there, I’m not sure I’d have fallen down so many times as him. But they’ve got a job to do.
“They’ve been on a poor run. Sometimes you’ve just got to win games.
“I felt a fair result would be a draw. But the big moments fell to us and we didn’t take them.
“The referee’s had a particularly poor game and we’ve been on the wrong end of his particularly poor decisions.
“But equally there’s moments of accountability for us where we know we can be better.”
Walsall boss Mat Sadler said, per the club website: “Firstly, the support is unbelievable/
“1600 fans here was proper reminiscent of Port Vale away last season. I thought they were unbelievable throughout, and to have that, they’re proper memory days so I’m delighted to give the supporters that. I was actually here as a player six or seven years ago on a tough day for the club.
“I thought we were brilliant today, so to have that, and to make a different memory here today was brilliant. Chuffed to bits for the supporters. In terms of the performance, I thought it was great and thought we dominated. We played the game the way the game needed to be played today. There’s a real life to the pitch, windy conditions, so we knew it wasn’t going to be a game filled with intricate passing and moving the ball. We didn’t want it that way, I watched them against Notts County, and Notts County had 78% possession or something like that, and found it really tough because the pitch has got life to it. I wanted it to be a second ball game where we played into good areas and landed on more second balls than the opposition.
“We stood tall when we needed to stand tall.
“To take that knock at the end of the first half, to come back out and react the way that we did, the first 20 minutes we were unbelievable and didn’t come out of that half. Proper team performance, club performance, and really delighted with that.”
Here’s how social media users reacted to the ‘feisty’ scenes as Shrewsbury and Walsall fans mouth off and throw cones over a fence…
@Pandamonium1881: It’s the cones I feel sorry for
@DMLions: I’d love to see what would happen if the gate was opened
@Mark19911240675: In the old days we’d be climbing the fence … Youth of today lol
@L_Evans91: They’ll all be back in school tomorrow
@WFCJamie2: People get more enjoyment out of this than the football itself and I’ve never understood it, just get back on your coach ffs 😂
@salopcast: this is pathetic
@JellisSzn: An absolute travesty from all involved
@robert0wfc: Mongs embarrassed themselves badly yesterday😂 bless em
@boltonfan96: Proper melts the lot of them
@Iatics: The audio 😂😂😂😂
@deathstar1234: Let’s play pass the cone over the fence
@Tartan_BawFC: English fitbaw fans for ye squaring up to a metal fence. I don’t get fans who embarrass themselves like this especially when they know that they can’t get to the other fans & they can’t get to you. If you really want a fight you can find the other fans far away from the ground.
@martindudley20: End of half term and the thought of going back to play school must be on their minds – morons!!!
@StozUTB: Coppers need to start opening gates during these ‘fights’ since we all know absolutely nothing would occur 🤣
@BoxingShrew: I’ve seen a lot of these schooligans leg it when there’s no fence and some of the old boys come for them 🤣
@hfc_felix: Open the gates and I bet you £100 both sets of fans run away from each other. Problem solved.
— Stephen (@tiedtothe90s_) March 1, 2026
This embarrassment might actually be worse than the game itself
What tf is this wannabe hooliganism 😭😭 pic.twitter.com/iUwQ4Cy6Pz— Nathan 💙🧡 (@Salop_Nathan) March 1, 2026
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