Bernard McNally: You can never write off this Shrewsbury Town team
Paul Hurst and his Shrewsbury Town side are performing miracles. It is great to see them at the top of League One again.
Following the disappointment of Saturday’s performance, losing 2-1 at home to Plymouth, they bounced back at Fleetwood.
They showed a lot of resilience to win 2-1 at Highbury on Tuesday night.
And that is the thing with this Town team – just when you think they are down and on their way out of the title race, they respond in style.
That victory could well be looked back on as crucial come the end of the season.
Salop keep stepping up to the mark so Paul, his assistant Chris Doig and every single one of the players deserve all the credit they can get.
They are a point ahead of Wigan at the top. And while the Latics have a game in hand, you would rather have the points in the bag – any manager will tell you that.
I am really pleased for Nathan Thomas, who got the winner against the Cod Army – his first goal since arriving on loan from Sheffield United.
He came off the bench for Alex Rodman after he picked up a knock, and his arrival has done the world of good. It has eased the workload on Shaun Whalley, who got the other goal against Fleetwood, and Rodman – and Nathan is a very good player.
He was perhaps trying a little too hard against Plymouth but his hunger resulted in a huge goal on Tuesday.
The lad seems really keen to impress and maybe earn himself a permanent move to the Meadow.
And why not? It is a great place to be. Town are top of the table with 15 games to go, with nine of them at home.
Next up is the visit of Rotherham on Saturday. It is a massive game for Salop and especially Hurst, who spent all of his playing career with the Millers.
He would love to get one over his old club and remain in the driver’s seat.
I’ve wrote before in this column and I’ll do so again, for Shrewsbury to be where they are – ahead of Wigan and Blackburn, and the money they have – is phenomenal.
After a couple of years in the doldrums, Town fans have so much to shout about.
Salop are performing exceptionally. They may not be winning by three or four every week, but that does not matter.
If anything, the fact they are winning by the odd goal is perhaps even more impressive – it speaks volumes for the players’ mental prowess, as well as their outstanding physical work.
They fully deserve to be where they are, at the top of the pack.
It is no fluke and let’s hope they can continue to upset the odds – and turn their promotion dream into reality come the start of May.
