Shrewsbury Town debrief: Salop building up nicely to season opener

Two goals from Callum Stewart in the first half were enough to put Salop into a comfortable lead, only for Dylan Allen-Hadley to halve the deficit not long after Michael Appleton had made a string of changes. 

There was a lot to dissect after the game, and the Shropshire Star has taken a look at some talking points. 

Winning is habitual 

Last season, losing became a habit for Town. It is not one they will want a repeat of this time out. 

For Shrews, they have now won three games on the spin and they have a perfect record so far in pre-season - Allen-Hadley’s goal was the first time Toby Savin had been breached. 

Ultimately, this period will count for absolutely nothing once the campaign gets under way, but for those with some scarring from times gone by, winning at the very least has a good feeling about it.  

Appleton’s anger

Town were good for the first 60 minutes of the game, with a side that included five youngsters in the XI. It is fair to say that when they brought their senior players on with half an hour remaining, they were less than convincing. They had Savin to thank for the win. 

The Town boss was not pleased with the way his team played. He was unhappy with the concentration, and he felt there were too many misplaced passes. 

The head coach is clearly laying down the law of what he expects from his team early on. 

Senior players 

What those players do have is a lot of experience to call on, and in the case of Sam Stubbs, Will Boyle and Sam Clucas they have a presence on the pitch. 

That is not just the presence from the way they carry themselves, but also the physicality they possess. That has been something that has been lacking. 

Toby Savin 

The Shrewsbury goalkeeper did not have it all his own way in Shropshire during his first year at the club. 

After a steady start, his form dipped and in the end he found himself out of the side with Jamal Blackman coming in. 

The fact that he saved a penalty at Leamington last weekend and he made three really important stops on Tuesday evening can only be a positive. 

Salop are going to sign another keeper. Savin is the only one at the moment, so someone will come through the door before the start of the season. 

But healthy competition is good, and if Savin can take confidence from his good performances, hopefully that can be a springboard for a better season. 

The young guns 

Town’s academy has had some good success so far this year. Not only have they won the Professional Development League Trophy, but on Tuesday, they appeared to be transferring those good performances into a first-team situation. That, ultimately, is where they will be judged when it comes to it. 

Shrews’ young talent, especially those who played for the first 60 minutes, stood up to the physical battle and once again showed the huge potential that they have.