After a day when it was feared the big freeze may force a second Prostar Stadium abandonment of 2009, a result to warm the hearts of Shrewsbury Town. 

An ultimately comfortable victory over Accrington Stanley came on an evening which will be filed away in the folder marked ‘job done’ by manager Paul Simpson and his team. 

See our photo gallery here

The performance was workmanlike, a distinct improvement on Saturday’s demoralising defeat to Brentford while still leaving the feeling Shrewsbury will have to raise the stakes further if they are to force their way into the automatic promotion places. 

But, most vitally, last night’s victory recovered the momentum lost at the weekend ahead of a fresh crack at solving that dreaded away form at Bournemouth on Saturday. 

Shrewsbury then, will be thankful the game was only of only three in League Two to beat the cold snap and that a day of endless toil from the groundstaff and boundless optimism over prospects from officials were justified. 

The smallest ever crowd for a League game at the Prostar Stadium witnessed a more incisive performance from Shrewsbury, who scored two goals in a league game for the first time in two months and found chances easier to come by. 

The hosts had to overcome a nervous start to take a 20th minute lead, Graham Coughlan rediscovering the set-piece threat Town have been lacking in recent weeks by nodding home a Steve Leslie corner. 

At times, Accrington gave their 28 supporters spells of possession to enjoy, without ever threatening to play through a Town defence which welcomed back Mike Jackson in place of the unfortunate Kelvin Langmead. 

But the decisive moment of this game came in a 90-second spell in the run-up to half-time – during which the visitors came within a whisker of levelling before Shrewsbury got the second goal which helped them slip into cruise control.

Former Town midfielder Jimmy Ryan had already flashed a 35-yard free-kick inches past the post of the unmoved Luke Daniels before trying his luck from similar distance. 

This time, the vicious effort crashed off the underside of the bar and to safety. 

And from the subsequent Shrewsbury attack came the decision which was to give Town the comfort of a two-goal advantage, as Nick Chadwick broke clear and threatened to mark his first start in Town colours with a goal, only to be brought down in the box by Phil Edwards. 

One glance from referee Karl Evans to his assistant confirmed a penalty and Grant Holt made no mistake from the spot. 

Two should have become three moments later when Holt somehow fluffed his lines after being presented with an open goal from three yards at the back post – I’m sure the 22-goal hitman will be forgiven that one – by the ever dangerous Chris Humphrey. 

Chances continued to fall to Shrewsbury after the break with the recalled Jackson, Darren Moss and Chadwick all going close to giving the scoreline an even more more convincing slant. 

Accrington were to have their moments late on with substitute Craig Lindfield twice threatening to set up a tense finale. 

But Town negotiated the closing minutes safely for a victory they deserved without ever hitting the heights. 

A return to the play-off zone will offer a psychological boost as the games begin to tick down and attention, not for the first time this season, turns to the away form.

So often, Town have got it right at the Prostar Stadium only to come up badly short on their travels. 

Saturday’s trip to Bournemouth provides one of the remaining chances to reverse that trend. They simply have to take it.

By James Garrison