Halloween didn’t pass without the occasional fright for Shrewsbury Town.

On course for what appeared a routine victory at half-time against a Barnet side now propping up the Football League, Town were ultimately forced to survive a testing and tense conclusion.

But grinding out successes such as these – despite being short of their best – has been part of a tried and tested template for promoted teams at all levels over the years.

And if August and periods of September were notable for some thrilling free-flowing football from Graham Turner’s side, October will be remembered for a period when they were forced to settle for substance over style.

Town haven’t been firing on all cylinders over their last month, with opposition teams increasingly determined to make it difficult for them to re-create their early season sparkle.

But, while there have been disappointments to digest during this spell, they have managed to secure enough victories to ensure they remain firmly in the leading pack.

Fourth in the table – Town moved up one spot with this win – without truly hitting their straps over the last month is a major source of encouragement heading into a run of three successive away matches.

This latest victory was achieved with a mixed display. At times, the hosts produced some pleasing-on-the-eye football and had enough chances to win by a greater margin.

But the encouraging moments were intermingled with frustrating lapses which saw possession change hands frequently, particularly in the closing stages when ‘keep-ball’ was the order of the day.

A fraught ending resulted with Barnet almost claiming only their second away point of the season when an injury time shot from Mauro Vilhete was hacked off the line.

Had Town been pegged back, the frustration would have been immense for this was a game which they had control of at the midway point.

In an almost exact replica of the last home encounter with Lincoln, Town were to score twice in quick succession before half-time – and visiting goalkeeper Jake Cole will not remember either fondly.

He first allowed Craig Disley to poke home from close range after failing to hold a routine Mark Wright shot.

And Cole and his defence then produced tortoise-like reactions as a Jake Robinson shot deflected up and bounced on the edge of the six yard box, allowing Matt Harrold to hook home.

But if Shrewsbury were left hoping for a relative cruise to victory after that rapid double strike, it failed to materialise.

Barnet had their moments in the first half, most notably when Jordan Parkes struck the post, while Kevin Gallen was denied by Chris Neal after the Town goalkeeper sparked momentary panic with an ill-judged charge out of his penalty area.

And the visitors were given hope with Parkes halving the deficit on 61 minutes, Town guilty of standing off as the left-back played a one-two with Gallen before drilling home from 20 yards.

That goal came during a shaky five minute period for Shrewsbury with Neal twice saving smartly from the lively Mark Marshall.

But Turner’s men – who were forced to reorganise defensively following first half injuries to David Raven and Ian Sharps – were also guilty of being wasteful at the other end.

A number of half chances came and went in the second period while, in the final 10 minutes, Tope Obadeyi and Robinson both spurned golden opportunities to add a match-sealing third in breaks where Town’s attackers far out-numbered the Barnet defenders.

Shrewsbury just about deserved their victory – but it was harder work than they would have liked.

Match analysis by James Garrison