Analysis: Shrewsbury Town find their feet on the road at just the right time
Some rare away day joy – this was a big victory for Shrewsbury Town.
Town’s eight-game League One winless run had drawn concern from supporters as their team struggled to pull away from the bottom four.
Steve Cotterill’s side always looked well placed – in that one or two positive results would cement a position of comfort – but any run of results can be hard to put to bed once they grow and fester.
Still, Town’s run from January 2 until February 26 was alarming.
The manager, however, remained unwavering in his belief and confident in his side.
He pointed to five draws in eight league games and harsh and narrow defeats, particularly against Bolton and a tough trip to Plymouth.
Burton – 10 points clear of Town in mid-table with little realistic prospect of breaking into the top 10 but comfortably clear of drop zone fears – may have been ideal opposition.
Without going as far as to say Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink’s Brewers have nothing to play for, they are comfortably moored in the middle of the pack.
With one win in seven now, they appear to be heading nowhere fast, but without that pressure of fighting relegation or pushing for the top six.
Nevertheless, Shrewsbury still had to go and do something they have done little of this season – win away.
And they did so comfortably and convincingly, just like the sole previous league success on the road this term, at Fleetwood on Boxing Day.
Like up at Highbury Stadium, this was yet another away day backed by a brilliant travelling support who made up a significant chunk of the attendance.
There were some 928 Salopians in a gate of 3,258 – and it sounded like it!
There was not a peep from the home fans all afternoon, perhaps unsurprisingly as their side toiled, while Town’s followers were relentless.
Town, winners through 18-year-old Tom Bloxham’s clever, crafted first-half finish and Matthew Pennington’s less-pretty scramble on the hour, were clear and deserved winners. It could have been more late on.
It has to be said Burton were poor. In fact they were extremely underwhelming given their impressive league position.
They like to knock it forward in the air, over the opposition wing-backs and feed off scraps, but Cotterill’s side stood up to such a bombardment from start to finish.
Town’s back three of Pennington, Ethan Ebanks-Landell and new recruit Tom Flanagan thrive off that threat. They will gladly head balls away all afternoon.
Indeed Pennington smiled in his post-match interview about ‘having a headache after that one!’
Likewise the wing-backs and central midfield duo, who did all of the ugly stuff required on an ugly afternoon.
It was not an afternoon conducive to playing football. Weather conditions were fine but the Pirelli Stadium pitch was struggling.
It is clear the surface has been unable to cope with the amount of football in recent weeks and months – Leicester Women also play there – and remaining were desolate patches of grass, but mostly dry, bobbly mud.
It didn’t fuss the hosts, more familiar with the conditions and happy to look long. But it didn’t bother Shrewsbury either. They tried to move the ball around when they could, but it was limited.
Having defended a series of early Burton corners and countless long throw-ins, Town grew into the contest and were a threat from dead balls themselves.
Bloxham’s opener, a second league goal of the season and fifth in all competitions in his breakthrough campaign, was a clever finish typifying his exciting natural ability.
The youngster’s instinct to peel off and meet a low, pulled-back Elliott Bennett pass before sweeping into the far corner was impressive.
Burton never felt out of the contest at 1-0 down but they remained uninspiring – and the visitors held them at arm’s length.
The clinching second goal will please Cotterill, as defender George Nurse strode forward from the second phase of a set-piece and was happy to let fly.
The bobbly pitch did nothing for Burton keeper Ben Garratt whose parry was weak and Pennington steamed in to make totally sure by bundling over the line.
This, eventually, was a routine win and a much-needed one at that.
Cotterill is right about his side competing in games of late but only the points are telling and Town extended their safety buffer to six ahead of a tough run – not least against leaders Rotherham tomorrow.
Perhaps this win can be a catalyst to bright days ahead – they certainly hope so.
