Dave Edwards: Best atmosphere I've seen at new Shrewsbury ground

It was my first time standing at a game since being on the Riverside at the Gay Meadow. I got to share it with my dad and my boy, three generations watching together, it was perfect, even more so because of the performance and result.

The atmosphere was the best I’ve seen at the new ground, I don’t know if that’s because I was in the middle of it, you get a different experience on the pitch. Being among it was special.

The performance and endeavour from the players was very, very good. It was a superb win for Town in a game very much of two halves.

Shrewsbury were by far the better side first half, played some really nice stuff, you could see patterns they’d been working on in playing out from the back and getting in good areas.

It was critical they got the goal and they did before half-time, it really knocked the stuffing out of Wednesday.

The visitors enjoyed more of the ball in the second half after we’d sadly lost Dan Udoh to injury and Steve Cotterill went back to how it was when he joined – we’ve got a 1-0 lead, let’s protect it. It was the right thing to do and they defended really well.

I just felt we needed a little more from the bench, everyone knows that’s been a problem, in having someone to come on and change the game again.

Starting XI-wise I think this is as good as Town have had all season and critical to that is our left side.

Luke Leahy in midfield as a natural left-footer is key to that, with Josh Vela a little higher and Dave Davis back available.

I was lucky in safe standing to be directly in line with that left channel and you could how intricate the link-play was to try to get Nat Ogbeta inside the full-back.

Luke and George Nurse’s use of the ball is very good. It’s been worked on so much and worked well.

Penno was brilliant on the right, Elliott Bennett has great quality. Davis bring something else and breaks it up brilliantly.

Having Davis and Ethan Ebanks-Landell back in the team helps people get back in positions.

I’d class Luke Leahy as a central midfielder now and the biggest thing is it releases Vela, he kept Barry Bannan very quiet in the first half, who is the best player in the league.

On a sad note I was just gutted for Dan to go down before the break. We really missed him later in the game.

That’s why reinforcements this month for that sort of player – not necessarily a striker, but a wide player or midfielder who can carry the ball up the pitch – are vital. It looks like a hamstring injury, so his chances of playing at Anfield in the FA Cup on Sunday are significantly reduced, unfortunately.

You’ve got to feel sorry for Dan, he’s in the form of his life and deserved to play at Liverpool. I think his absence will harm our chances.

I feel there has been a massive momentum shift from the FA Cup tie at Stratford. The whole club feels a lot more together and positive.

It felt like we were moving in the right direction but results like at Doncaster in December really hurt us.

The numbers don’t lie, we were still in and around the bottom four, the away form was terrible with no clean sheets.

It’s great to see the team show a reaction and come through with 10 points from 12. I wouldn’t say it’s a turnaround, I feel it’s been coming, but the clean sheets are massive, with a base to build from.

You’d think it’ll be easier to attract players this month now with a better league position. Steve has exceeded the minor miracle I thought it’d need to stay in touch at the New Year. We’re seeing what a good manager and coach he is.

It is the small matter of Liverpool away in the FA Cup next!

I’ve been very fortunate to play at Anfield in the FA Cup on four occasions, captaining Town and Wolves there. There were 8,000 Shrewsbury and 8,000 Wolves fans there.

They were truly amazing experiences.

My best moment ever in a Shrewsbury shirt, the best rush of emotion, was when Shaun Whalley scored, for those 30 seconds we’d score a goal at Anfield and you can’t take that emotion away – regardless of what VAR did.

That rush of emotion right in front of the Town fans, I’d flicked it on at the near post, I was almost off the pitch right amid the fans. Seeing the faces, the jubilation, it was very special. For 30 seconds I was in heaven. It’s a shame the result didn’t go our way.

These Town players have the same opportunity now. I’m adamant Liverpool won’t go very strong, there will be a lot of changes with all the competitions they have the Covid at the club now.

When you take confidence and form into it, I think they’ll quietly fancy getting a result, just make it difficult for them, make it nervy, edgy – even if it means going all the way to penalties on Sunday!