It’s two thirds of the mission accomplished in one of the most important weeks of Shrewsbury Town’s season. 

Last night’s victory over Chester ensured Town collected a maximum return of six points from two home games. 

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And if that elusive away victory can finally arrive at Luton on Saturday, Town will have gone from outside the play-off position to back in contention for automatic promotion in the space of seven days. 

This was a slender local derby victory over a Chester side reduced to 10 men for the closing stages following the dismissal of Jay Harris. 

Indeed, it was a strange evening for the home supporters in another mightily impressive crowd at the Prostar Stadium. 

For while they spent the first hour wondering where a goal was going to come from, the Shrewsbury faithful would have ended the evening baffled as to how their team had found the net just once. 

Town should head to Luton full of confidence after laying siege to the Chester goal in the final third of this encounter, creating a flurry of chances in a thrilling attacking assault at the conclusion of this game. 

But there will also be cause for concern over the way Town laboured prior to Richard Walker’s 57th minute match-winner against opposition who have collected just two points from the previous 27. 

Town’s first half offering was flat and, while Chester never threatened to make the necessary inroads to test Luke Daniels, so Shrewsbury struggled to test John Danby

The zest of Saturday’s display disappeared as Town struggled to maintain possession, while the midfield failed to get to grips with the task in hand during that opening 45 minutes. 

The result was a first half of few chances other than headed efforts by Mike Jackson and Steve Leslie and a vicious 25-yard drive from Nick Chadwick which flew just wide. 

Town appeared to be crying out for a wake-up call and it came just after half-time. 

Chester had offered nothing as an attacking force until Kevin Ellison’s curling 20-yard effort beat Daniels but crashed off the post to safety. 

And moments later there was another Shrewsbury escape when Richie Partridge somehow failed to make any connection in front of an open goal after Daniels had saved well from Lloyd Ellams. 

Suddenly Shrewsbury grasped the nettle and picked up the tempo. 

And it fell to Richard Walker, a half-time substitute for the injured Chadwick, to settle the nerves by bundling a Chris Humphrey cross home at the back post. 

That was the catalyst for the shackles to be removed and the chances to flow. 

An inspired Danby made three brilliant saves in five minutes to claw out a Grant Holt header and shots from Leslie and Ben Davies. Holt then headed wide at the back post when it seemed easier to score, before dinking a one-on-one effort over Danby but just wide of the post after being sent clean through. 

Chester’s plucky resistance was broken 10 minutes from time when Harris  saw red for a studs-up lunge on Humphrey, before Davies missed another gilt-edged chance in injury time, poking a shot wide when clear through on Danby. 

Manager Paul Simpson will be hoping the goals are being saved up for Saturday’s trip to Luton who last night earned themselves a trip to Wembley.

But the performance will have to be more akin to last night’s final 30 minutes than the first hour if Shrewsbury are to finally bring a conclusion to their away misery.

By James Garrison