Analysis: Christmas comes early as Shrewsbury serve up cracker in fitting tribute

It was the latest in a run of excellent performances on their home patch, with results against Charlton, Sunderland, Cambridge and MK Dons contributing to 13 points from a possible 15.

This classic against a decent Cheltenham side was probably the best of the lot. A thrilling 3-1 victory for the 10 men of Steve Cotterill and Shrewsbury, dominated by a centre-forward at the peak of his powers leading the way in front of a baying home crowd who, at times, cranked up the decibels to deafening levels.

The afternoon as a whole saw Town pay their respects to popular former striker Marvin Morgan, who was taken aged just 38 earlier this month.

A new banner was unfurled and the minute’s applause was an emotional one.

The fixture was a fitting tribute. Daniel Udoh, Town’s two-goal and man of the match hero, held up a shirt dedicated to ‘Marvellous Marvin’ after the game’s opener, but his big-hearted, full-blooded display was tribute enough.

Cotterill’s side now boast the 10th-best home record in League One. Had they even managed just a few wins on their travels – where Town have taken just two points from a possible 33 – then we are talking about a different season entirely.

Instead, despite Saturday’s thrilling win, Town head into Christmas still 20th and just two points clear of safety – but they have reeled sides above them back into the picture, including Boxing Day’s hosts Fleetwood, with whom they are level on 22 points.

Unfortunately Covid has started to decimate English football again. Town’s clash was one of just six League One games to go ahead on a Saturday where five of six Premier League fixtures were canned.

Town did their bit. A pop-up vaccination centre at the Meadow welcomed fans and the public to receive a jab.

The club went one better, too, when Cotterill revealed post-match he had called on all of his players to receive their second or booster vaccine. Shrewsbury are still not fully vaccinated, the boss revealed to the Shropshire Star, but as the Omicron threat rises, Cotterill is becoming more insistent on his players’ safety, and of those staff around them.

Pictures of Udoh, Luke Leahy and Elliott Bennett receiving a dose in the dressing room after the game emerged. Town players getting behind the words of their manager, from whom they need no reminding about the devastating effects of the virus.

And Shrewsbury players certainly got behind their manager’s instructions on the pitch, where another home victory was very much needed after losing at then rock-bottom Doncaster in more away woe seven days earlier.

Town were sharp from the off. Udoh headed in brilliantly from Tom Bloxham fittingly on 10 minutes before holding up Morgan’s No.10 shirt.

The lead was shortlived and Cheltenham, the side where Cotterill is a God-like figure and who beat Town less than a month ago in the reverse clash, hit back well.

Michael Duff’s Robins play good football and a neat move ended with Liam Sercombe squaring for Andy Williams, who couldn’t miss. Cheltenham edged the remainder of the first half. Town stayed level mostly thanks to the brilliance of their goalkeeper Marko Marosi.

Marosi has enjoyed a positive if little strange start to his Town career. He has badly struggled for clean sheets but seldom been to blame and often impressed with saves.

Quiet questions were asked, however, after defeats at Wigan and Doncaster, but the Slovak roared back with, what Cotterill felt, was his best performance for the club.

He made three genuinely top-drawer saves, two in the first half from Williams and Kyle Joseph headers and one late on to deny Alfie May’s low strike. They were as good as you will see at this level.

Town, however, faced an uphill struggle after Bloxham’s red card five minutes before the break. The 18-year-old paid the price and has to learn a lesson after allegedly leaning his head into left-back Chris Hussey’s. It, seemingly, would make for a tough second half.

But Cotterill’s man gave arguably their best 45 minutes of the season. It could hardly have started better as Udoh pounced on good Josh Vela work to fire in low. A deadly, ice-cool finish from the striker who ran like a man possessed all afternoon. His reception 10 minutes from time was deafening.

Town were so impressive in their defending. They organised and re-organised time after time as the visitors toiled.

David Davis, of all people, sealed the win on 78 minutes with an astonishing breakaway goal after running half the pitch. His first goal in four years and first for Shrewsbury in more than 10 years summed up a bonkers but highly memorable afternoon.