Analysis: Shrewsbury's Shaun Whalley provides another magical Meadow moment

The Town hero emerged from the bench against Ipswich and with one cultured swipe of his gifted right foot earned his side a point on an otherwise niggling and at times dour contest.

The visitors looked set to impose consecutive defeats on Steve Cotterill’s side following the previous reverse at high-flying MK Dons. James Norwood’s fourth-minute headed opener was the difference for 80 minutes and Town – without a shot on target besides Whalley’s screamer – looked low on ideas in front of goal in response.

Step forward Salop’s iconic 34-year-old star, who delivered a stunning reminder that age is but a number and his quality remains permanent.

Whalley’s goal, a first for almost six months after around 16 weeks of injury hell and a difficult recovery, was a message that he is still ready and capable of delivering big moments in Shrewsbury colours.

His goal was packed full of star quality. How many Town players can crack one of the looping half-volleys into the corner from distance? Maybe Daniel Udoh, Luke Leahy – there aren’t too many.

To address the elephant in the room, Whalley’s future is far from clear.

The former Southport and Luton flyer extended his hugely popular stay at the club this time last year having triggered another year option in his contract due to appearance-related clauses.

This season – due to no fault of his own – has been hugely frustrating on a personal level. It started with a nasty hand injury on the opening day, but the Liverpudlian finally appeared to be hitting his groove in October and November before a disastrous muscle injury struck in training.

Whalley would have hoped to catch the eye on a more regular and consistent basis to show boss Cotterill he can still be up there with the most effective attackers in League One. Injuries have snatched that opportunity away.

So we are arriving at a fascinating and pivotal juncture of Whalley’s Town career. He is not the only key figure out of contract at Montgomery Waters Meadow, by the way, but surely his future will command the most interest among the fanbase. For a generation of supporters, Shaun Whalley is Shrewsbury Town.

Cotterill has a decision to make on whether the popular attacker is handed another deal and the chance to continue his legacy in Shropshire.

The manager would not be drawn into questions about Whalley’s future when asked after the game.

Cotterill will keep discussions and thoughts about any future plans in-house and away from the public eye until at least the summer, while he still tries to achieve an encouraging final finish in League One.

One issue the attacker has faced in recent times under more than one boss is he has been worked into a system that does not accommodate his natural role, as a winger.

It is similar under Cotterill, whose favoured 3-5-2 utilises wing-backs, something not entirely suitable for Whalley.

The experienced favourite has tailored his game – and is extremely willing to play any role asked of him – he has been used in patches as an attacking midfielder or in a front two under Cotterill, or in his natural wide role when the boss has changed to a three-man frontline.

It remains to be seen whether Whalley’s story in Shrewsbury continues beyond this summer, or whether – like all good things – it will come to an end. Either way his legacy is undeniable.

The 2015 summer arrival’s 39th Salop goal in his 253rd appearance was up there with one of his best.

Indeed, Whalley admitted afterwards he felt it went straight in at the very top of his list of best and favourite Shrewsbury goals, overtaking the cracker at MK Dons in the 2017/18 season – another late equaliser in a 1-1 draw – he recently held as his top strike.

Whalley’s relief at being able to celebrate a stunning goal to secure a point in front of home supporters was palpable, both in joyous celebrations and the player’s post-match press comments.

He admitted it looked like the opportunity to celebrate one more Town goal might have got away from him – so nobody was going to stop Whalley enjoying that strike.

It has been a tough return to fitness and match sharpness. There have been cameos here and there, more minutes at times than others since his first match back exactly a month ago.

But it hasn’t been plain-sailing. Whalley admitted his substitute appearance in the 5-0 demolition of Morecambe was ‘rubbish’ and ‘terrible’.

In this moment of magic with his wand of a right foot, however, the former AFC Telford star has shown Cotterill there is plenty of life in the old dog yet. Whalley still has that star quality at this level to be a match-winner or a game-changer, either as a starter or as a substitute.

Whalley aside, it was a strange old Meadow afternoon between two battling sides who, for the most part, cancelled each other out.

The hosts looked set to pay for a poor opening six minutes, in which Marko Marosi just about saved from Conor Chaplin but could do nothing about Norwood’s near-identical header 90 seconds later.

The weird was yet to come, though, as with 12 minutes on the clock assistant referee David Hunt could no longer continue due to a leg injury – leading to PA announcer Ryan Jervis asking the crowd for a qualified volunteer to step in as cover.

Supporters of both clubs responded with glee and ridicule. Mr Hunt took some cruel but humorous stick before fourth official Lisa Rashid, of Birmingham’s FA, warmed up and took the flag to huge cheers, once Town fan Kevin Breeze had willingly made his way into the technical area to take over the fourth official duties until half-time.

The bizarre delay of more than 10 minutes did nothing for the game’s rhythm or momentum. Town might have nicked an equaliser before the break as Josh Daniels – in the starting line-up for the injured Ethan Ebanks-Landell before being replaced by Whalley – sent a good header narrowly over.

But chances on goal were few and far between on an otherwise uneventful afternoon. Town’s Marosi was at his brilliant best to ensure Leahy’s inadvertent volley was kept out the makeshift defender’s own net. Due to the delay Norwood’s opener felt like an age ago and an equaliser didn’t appear likely – until the visitors shot themselves in the foot through a moment of stupidity by Australia defender Cameron Burgess.

Already booked, the Ipswich stopper decided to steam in late on Marosi for a clear second yellow card with 15 minutes remaining.

His two cautions were part of the nine in total given out by referee Darren Handley, who was whistle-happy and did his best to not let the game flow. It was a niggly afternoon but not worthy of that many bookings – although Burgess can have zero complaints.

His needless dismissal cost his side as Cotterill’s men took full advantage of the extra man. From that moment on Salop were on top, even though Whalley’s stunner still came somewhat out of the blue.

The equaliser, Whalley emotion aside, was timely and a welcome point for Town. Consecutive defeats would not have been how the manager would want to kickstart the run-in of final games, albeit both MK and Ipswich were very tricky fixtures on paper.

They don’t particularly ease up in the remaining four games, either. Sunderland, hosts on Good Friday this week, are fighting to secure their play-off spot in sixth while Doncaster, visitors on Easter Monday, might just have a faint shot at staying up. Charlton away at The Valley is never easy and then it’s Wigan, pushing for the title, at the Meadow on the final day.

Shrews will want to end in style and not peter away. Like Whalley, others in this squad want to give one more example of what they are capable of in Town colours.