Daniel Nardiello of Bury scores a goal to make it 0-1
Shrewsbury Town supporters today find themselves in a rather mystifying position.
The midway point of their team’s League campaign maybe fast approaching, but few of their hardcore fans could predict with any certainty how this season will pan out over the next six months.
Paul Simpson’s side remain locked in seventh position, a placing which – win, lose or draw – they appear to have made their own.
But, after following up last week’s 1-1 draw with Torquay with another against Bury on Saturday, Shrewsbury now appear to have arrived at a mid-season crossroads.
They begin a tough run of fixtures at Hereford tomorrow night knowing they are one positive sequence of results away from cementing their position in the play-offs and potentially setting their sights on even greater riches.
Yet, equally, they are also just one indifferent run away from sliding into mid-table.
Half empty
The upbeat members of the Town faithful will point to the fact Shrewsbury are now four unbeaten in the League and have worked their way into a position of relative strength without truly hitting their straps and having the handicap of a crippling injury list.
Those who see the glass half empty will be concerned that Town have won just one of their last seven League outings and haven’t kept a clean sheet since September 26.
How statistics can paint a different picture.
But, whatever your individual standpoint, nobody will disagree that Graham Coughlan’s last minute leveller against Bury has provided a significant boost to spirits ahead of tomorrow’s trip down the A49.
The goal was greeted with virtually every Town player racing to the home dugout to join in the celebrations with Simpson and his staff.
For Bury manager Alan Knill, however, it was more late disappointment at the hands of Shrewsbury – five months after Kevin McIntyre tipped the play-off semi-final the way of the Shropshire side with a last-gasp second leg leveller at Gigg Lane.
“Before the game, you probably would have taken a point but to go so long at 1-0, you probably wouldn’t,” said Knill.
“We had a great chance to make it two – game over.
“But credit to Shrewsbury, they kept going. It wasn’t the greatest goal from our point of view but performance wise, I thought we were the better team by far and passed it and moved it well once we broke things up.”
Pressure
For so long, it looked like a Shrewsbury performance packed with endeavour would yield no reward.
The opening hour saw the hosts goal threat limited as they struggled to mount concerted pressure.
But their perseverance was rewarded in the 90th minute with a powerful header from Coughlan after a cross from substitute Omer Riza found the captain unmarked at the back post.
It was a leveller Town deserved, although Bury will have been frustrated not to have had the points wrapped up before then as the ever dangerous Daniel Nardiello missed the target with a free header from nine yards and former Town loanee David Worrall poked a good chance wide – both in the second period.
Bury’s opener in the 28th minute was a moment of sheer quality, Nardiello playing a one-two with Andy Morrell before unleashing an unstoppable 20 yard shot which gave Andreas Arestidou – getting the nod for his Football League debut over new arrival David Button – no chance.
Dean Holden and Dave Hibbert both tested Wayne Brown’s handling in testing conditions in the first half, but Town struggled to sustain pressure on the visitors goal.
At the other end, Paul Murray cleared a Nardiello header off the line from a corner.
Potent
Shrewsbury looked more potent in the second period, Waide Fairhurst forcing Brown into a diving save and Coughlan heading wide of the target.
Bury had their opportunities too but, just when the visitors thought the hard work was done, up stepped Coughlan for what could prove a very important goal.
By James Garrison
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