Jimmy Ryan of Accrington Stanley and Joe Skarz of Shrewsbury Town

History beckoned and opportunity knocked at Shrewsbury Town on Saturday.

Yet by 5pm, the Prostar Stadium was gripped by an overwhelming sense of frustration at a chance gone begging.

Dave Hibbert’s weekend will, no doubt, have been tinged by slight personal disappointment that his quest to become a record-breaker passed by.

Not that the leading scorer should have too many regrets about missing out on becoming the first Shrewsbury player ever to score in six successive Football League games.

His only semblance of a half chance to continue his remarkable streak came when he struck the target from a tight angle.

No, the greater upset would have come as a collective as Town spurned an opportunity to truly present themselves as genuine contenders in a wide open promotion race.

Victory would have put Shrewsbury level on points with third place Rotherham.

But defeat has left them in sixth position, and vulnerable to a host of teams – now including Accrington – who could surge past them by taking advantage of their games in hand.

Seven days on from a highly encouraging display in the victory over Dagenham, Town’s performance levels dipped considerably.

Shrewsbury laboured badly in the first half and were arguably fortunate to remain just a goal adrift when the interval arrived, Accrington spending much of the first half camped in their hosts’ territory.

And, while Town improved after the break and twice went close to salvaging a point, there is little denying the on-song Lancashire visitors were full value for their sixth victory in seven League games.

“It was a hard fought win,” said Accrington boss Coleman.

“Shrewsbury are a very good side and I think if they had scored one of their two second half chances or when the lad (Jake Robinson) went clean through, it could have been a different game.

“But I thought our goal came at the right time, during a spell of concerted pressure and then we played some lovely passing football.

“The second half was going to be difficult because I know Paul well. He is a good manager and I knew he would give them a rocket at half-time and they would come at us.

“But it’s a massive marker to put down to the rest of the League because not many teams will come here and win.”

Town began brightly enough and should have been ahead when Hibbert sent through strike partner Robinson.

The former Brighton forward initially got the ball trapped under his feet but got a shot off, somehow poking wide of the target from eight yards.

But from that moment on, it was Accrington who produced the flurries of attacking quality for the remainder of the first half.

As such, there was an air of inevitability about their goal when it arrived, Bobby Grant rifling home from 12 yards after Shane Cansdell-Sherriff had failed to deal with a Michael Symes through ball.

The visitors could have been even further ahead before the break, Andrew Proctor firing just over from 25 yards, while on three occasions Accrington appealed loudly for a penalty, appearing to have strong claims for at least one of them.

The introduction of Steve Leslie for the out-of-sorts Craig Disley, still affected by last week’s head injury, brought improvements to the Town display and they were almost level when Cansdell-Sherriff’s sprawling header was kept out by Accrington goalkeeper Dean Bouzanis.

Lewis Neal was also denied when his volley following a corner was headed off the line by Tom Lees as Shrewsbury huffed and puffed.

But Accrington remained a threat on the break and Dave Button was forced into fine point blank saves from Proctor and Luke Joyce

There was still time for a red card in the fifth successive Shrewsbury matchÊ- Proctor becoming the fourth opposition player to be dismissed in that spell for two bookings, the second of which was for a foul on substitute Kris Bright.

But this was Accrington’s day, and would have brought particular joy for their ex-Shrewsbury contingent of Symes, Ryan and the excellent Darran Kempson.

Of course, this first defeat in six games hasn’t ended Shrewsbury’s promotion dream. Far from it.

A stumbling November and December has, however, significantly reduced the margin for error in the second half of the season, and Town can ill-afford too many more slips such as this.

But with games against three sides in the bottom eight – Macclesfield, Barnet and Hereford – in the next three outings, opportunity once again knocks for Shrewsbury.

By James Garrison