Sam Ricketts: Shrewsbury finally getting noticed

Town’s 1-0 victory at Blackpool meant back-to-back League One wins for the first time this season with Shrews, in 11th, just two points off the top six and five points from second.

Fejiri Okenabirhie’s second-half penalty was the difference at Bloomfield Road, where the visitors put in an accomplished, professional and gritty display to keep the hosts at bay.

Shrewsbury have taken an impressive haul of 13 points from 21 available in a brutal run of seven fixtures, with Rotherham – now just one point and three places above Town in eighth – the visitors on Boxing Day.

“I think what we’re starting to see – maybe it’s from inside and outside the dressing room – is people are starting to realise what we’re doing and the path we’re on,” Ricketts said after the festive period kicked off in style for Town.

“It’s taken some people longer than others to see ‘do you know what, they’re doing alright here’.

“The wins are really important to that for the players and supporters as well.

“The club is very united on that front. The players are sensing we’re a decent side, not saying we’re the best in the league but we’re a decent team.

“We’re better than we were last year, which was the whole objective, but the supporters are seeing a team that might not always be able to play scintillating football but put a shift in and is hard to play against.”

Blackpool boss Simon Grayson argued his star striker Armand Gnanduillet was pushed in the back while conceding the pivotal hand ball for Town’s spot-kick.

But Shrews frustrated their hosts all afternoon. Max O’Leary only had one save of note to make while Gnanduillet’s header flicked the post with a header just before Okenabirhie struck the decisive blow.

The boss, who celebrated wildly with 540 euphoric travelling fans, added: “We’re ticking over all right and earning a lot of respect of a lot of sides whether that’s complimentary with words or changing their team and tactics.

“With back-to-back wins people may take more notice now of what we’re doing and trying to build.

“We’re trying to do it in a fashion that is earning respect. A couple of their players told us how horrible we are to play against because we’re so solid and resolute.

“That pleases me as much as the result.”