Steven Leslie of Shrewsbury Town celebrates after scoring to make it 0-1

It’s one down, two to go in a week Shrewsbury simply must cash in on if they are to hit the promotion jackpot.

A hard-earned and deserved away victory at Macclesfield ensured Town remain in the hunt for League Two honours.

But Paul Simpson’s side will be only too aware they simply can’t afford to fritter away the weekend’s sterling work over the coming days.

No victory is guaranteed in the muck and nettles of League Two but games against a trio of teams who began the weekend in the bottom eight – Macclesfield, Barnet and Hereford – paved the way for a profitable seven days.

Now Town must turn on the style at home where, up until now, their form has been solid rather than spectacular.

True they have only lost three times at the Prostar Stadium but almost as many draws as wins – five compared to six – represents too many points dropped for comfort.

But if Shrewsbury can notch two home wins in quick succession against the Bees and the Bulls, they could find themselves in position to strike in the closing 15 games by this time next week.

The platform was laid by a textbook away victory at Moss Rose on Saturday, capped by a winner straight from the top drawer from Steve Leslie.

Bobbly

The battle was won in a goalless and largely uninspiring first half, before Town made their superiority count to seal the points when the gaps opened on a poor, bobbly pitch after the break.

“It was a massive win for us,” said midfielder Craig Disley.

“The way the League is at the minute, we have to come to places like Macclesfield and win if we want to achieve anything.

“It was important to keep it tight in the first half and second half, we looked sharp going forward.”

Arguably the decisive moment of this highly-competitive encounter came as the first half drew to a close with tactical tinkering involving Leslie and Craig Disley.

The pair had struggled to sustain an impact in the opening half hour, with Leslie starting ‘in the hole’ behind lone striker Dave Hibbert and Disley – more at home in a central position – again asked to fill in on the right of midfield.

But both players blossomed after they swapped positions, as did the visitors collectively as the previously isolated Hibbert began to receive greater support.

The reward was to come in the 54th minute when a smart break from Shrewsbury involving the excellent Terry Dunfield and Disley saw the ball work its way to Leslie.

He cut inside before bending a 20-yard shot around Jon Brain and into the top corner.

It was a goal worthy of winning any game and a moment which Leslie, one of the most technically gifted individuals in the Town squad, is capable of.

One again, his challenge is not to strive to produce it more consistently on the first team stage.

Slug-fest

It was also a goal Town deserved as they looked a far greater attacking threat in the second period, the hard-working Hibbert unfortunate to be denied on two occasions.

The first half had proved something of a slug-fest with goalmouth action in short supply, although Craig Lindfield saw a shot drift just wide for the hosts early on while Graham Coughlan had a header cleared off the line from a Lewis Neal corner.

Shrewsbury’s defence was to stand firm throughout the entire afternoon against the type of percentage football Keith Alexander’s teams have become renowned for.

And not even some late pressure from the hosts was able to force David Button into a meaningful save.

Defensively, Town were excellent marshalled superbly by Coughlan who, on his return from injury, showed how important a leader can be at the end of a week in which John Terry brought the issue of captaincy under intense scrutiny.

Coughlan would have battled for man of the match honours alongside Dunfield and Leslie as a sizeable travelling contingent chewed the fat on their short journey home.

But this was a collective effort from Shrewsbury who produced the type of result they require regularly over the next three months if they are to keep their dreams alive.

By James Garrison