Bernard McNally: Let’s stay positive – my Shrewsbury glass is half full

The thing with luck, though, is that it tends to even itself out as the season goes on.

Hopefully, Town are past that run of things not going their way and it will all fall into place now.

Salop dominated for large spells of the game at Portsmouth so will have been disappointed to concede late on to draw 1-1.

Had you offered John Askey and his players a point before the Fratton Park clash though, they would have took it.

There are two ways of looking at it, isn’t there? On one hand, Town have not won a league game and have let a lead slip four times in nine matches.

But then they’ve only lost one of their last six outings.

They are performing well at the moment and I think the confidence is rising in the dressing room, given the performance at Portsmouth was probably their best so far.

There are positive signs, that’s for sure. It’s not a bleak picture.

As fans, we’ve all just got to hang on in there a little bit.

I like to view things as half full rather than half empty – and John and the players have to feel like that as well.

Football is crazy and, suddenly, after a couple of wins, everything is rosy.

In a couple of weeks time, we could really be singing their praises. I’ve been in sides that have had runs of letting in silly goals, giving away penalties.

The only thing you can really do when it’s like that is buy into what your manager is saying and be patient.

You have to remain positive in your mind and believe things will turn, things will change.

John will be hammering it home to the players about sticking to the basics – stay on your feet in your own box. Be extra careful, be extra vigilant.

It’s about standing your ground, being alive and alert, but not diving in and committing to challenges – especially when you’re tired.

You have to talk yourself through those last five minutes almost, to get that result you need – remind yourself not to take unnecessary risks.

They just need to shut up shop and be more clinical as everything inbetween has been pretty decent.

There seems to be depth to the midfield – a lot of talent in there. Greg Docherty coming off the bench to score at Portsmouth shows that.

It could be a very entertaining game against Southend on Saturday at the Meadow. Fingers crossed it goes our way.

The Shrimpers don’t appear to be the most solid at the back so we need to capitalise on that. A win, at home, would do the world of good for John and those players who have worked so hard.