Steve Cotterill impressed with Shrewsbury intent in draw
Steve Cotterill was impressed with his Shrewsbury's side intent to win at Cambridge as Town somehow left Abbey Stadium without all three points.
Despite more than 20 efforts at the hosts' goal, Town were unable to turn the one-sided affair into maximum spoils, but extended their unbeaten run and spell of clean sheets to three games in a row as they put eight points between themselves and League One's bottom four.
Shrewsbury were well on top throughout at mid-table Cambridge, who had won four on the spin and were unbeaten at home in 2022, but came on particularly strong in the closing stages, where countless opportunities came and went.
Midfielder Luke Leahy somehow couldn't force in a late tap-in deep into 10 minutes of stoppage time on a sodden surface, after he had seen a 25-yard strike fly inches wide of the upright and a low header somehow saved by star man Dimitar Mitov. Top scorer Daniel Udoh sent a diving header from six yards out well over the crossbar, with Town goalkeeper Marko Marosi was unworked at the other end.
Cotterill said: "I don't think we can get any closer without actually winning it.
"I think with how the lads have been and what we've had over the last couple of weeks - it gets forgotten playing as long as we did a couple of games ago with 10 men.
"It's been a great effort from the lads. As I said to them right at the beginning, when I first came in, if you can't win then don't get beat - but trying to win is everything.
"Winning is everything but trying to win is and we tried to win that game today.
"We've come up a little bit short but apart from putting that ball in the back of the net I don't think there's anything else we could've done today.
"We've had 20-plus efforts at their goal, they haven't had a shot on target and this is a tough place to come, Cambridge have done very well this season, we've seen their exploits in the FA Cup. There's nigh-on that team that beat Newcastle.
"We've played very well here on a difficult day, very, very windy, which doesn't help. I'm delighted with the players' efforts and enthusiasm to try to win the game."
The boss, who named the same XI for the third game running and inside a week after four points from games against Burton and Rotherham, added: "Yes we did (start the game well), and we finished it well as well, apart from the tap-in at the end.
"Our lads have shown all the way through the season great fitness levels, great desire levels and now they get a bit of a break, Monday off, so they can come back rested after a couple of days.
"We don't look to spoil the game, we always look to try to win. On those days you've got to do all the unsavoury things.
"They had (Joe) Ironside back in their team, he's always a big plus for them, we limited him to not looking at the goal."
Town are rewarded with Monday off following an intense period of midweek fixtures as the schedule calms down ahead of next weekend's home clash against fourth-placed Oxford.
They hope to welcome back assistant manager Aaron Wilbraham and first-team analyst Ben Cirne, who both missed the game in Cambridge having tested positive for Covid-19.
Cotterill explained: "He (Wilbraham) has tested positive for Covid and Ben the analyst.
"We didn't have them yesterday and obviously we didn't today. They were part of the team preparing for Cambridge, both have been quite rough as well.
"I know you don't have to isolating, but it was (more) a case they were really, really rough.
"Our best wishes go to them, it'll be great to have you back boys, we missed them today and the boys missed them as well. We'll be glad to get them in next week but thanks for their work done in the early part of the week that helped us get the result."
