Analysis: Shrewsbury's Meadow run ended as they fail to take chances

Steve Cotterill’s side had several, gilt-edged opportunities to score in a very entertaining game.

But it did not happen for Town, and Jesurun Rak-Sakyi’s second-half strike was enough to give the visitors all three points – and their first away win of the season.

The boss was not happy with the way his team conceded, saying too many players were just ‘watching’ as the forward applied the finishing touches.

And looking back, perhaps Jordan Shipley was beaten a little too easily by Jack Payne, who put in the cross.

The result meant it was the end of Salop’s winning run on home turf, which had been going since their 3-0 defeat to Ipswich in late August.

Neither team dominated, and as the game wore on, it felt like a draw was a fair result – but in the end, Town paid the price for not being clinical enough in the final third.

It was similar to the events at Fleetwood last weekend when Town did not put the game to bed in the first half despite numerous chances.

And, as the boss said at full-time on Saturday, when the game is at 0-0 or 1-0 it is on a ‘knife edge’.

Last week it went in Town’s favour, but this week it did not and they paid a heavy price for it.

In truth, both sides went close to opening the scoring and it was an entertaining game for the neutral, with momentum swinging from one end to the other.

The man who scored the winner for the Addicks missed an absolute sitter in the first half when he scuffed Steven Sessegnon’s cross.

And former Preston man Jayden Stockley had a couple of headers that went narrowly wide.

As for Town, they should have led inside the first five minutes. A corner was headed back across the goal into the six-yard box by Luke Leahy and Chey Dunkley, who has been immense for Town so far this season, could not get a connection on his header.

Tom Bayliss, another who has been very impressive, was quiet by his usual high standards, but he still got into good areas.

And in the second half when Jordan Shipley volleyed the ball across goal he was there, just two yards out, only needing a touch to put the ball beyond Joe Wollacott, but he did not make contact and it went out for a throw-in.

Christian Saydee was a bright spark for Town again.

His strength and power is something which gets more impressive week after week.

He receives the ball in areas where you think ‘he is going to lose it here’ – only to see him shrug off five defenders and keep charging forward.

On one occasion he did just that, setting up Shipley on the edge of the penalty area, but the wing-back could not get his shot on target.

Town were not quite at their best on Saturday, and the boss said after the game they ‘did not do enough’ but in fairness, if the game had ended all square, then neither manager could have had any reason to complain.

It was a blow for Shrews ahead of a hugely challenging week, not just in terms of fixtures but also in terms of travelling.

First, they visit Plymouth on Tuesday evening. Not only are Argyle the league leaders, having won their last four games on the spin, but it is a 484-mile round trip for Salop.

The players will not expect to get home from Devon until the early hours of Wednesday morning and then on Friday they will head back down to the south coast for another 400-mile round trip to take on Portsmouth in another difficult game.

You cannot help but think a volume of travelling in such a short space of time should and could have been avoided. Nonetheless, Cotterill’s men will not use it as an excuse and will crack on.

They were boosted by the return of Matthew Pennington on Saturday, which the boss said was one ‘bonus’ they could take away from the game.

Julien Dacosta went out to warm up with the squad on Saturday which suggests he is closer to a return to action.

And Aiden O’Brien came on for 30 minutes, in place of Rekeil Pyke.

Earlier in the week, the former Sunderland man got through 90 minutes in Town’s defeat at Stockport, when they put out a young side.

Saturday’s game was the most time the summer signing has spent on the pitch in a league, in only his fourth appearance.

With a gruelling schedule coming up, Salop will need everyone to be ready as they look to maintain their good start to the season.