Clean sheets, ton-up Taylor and a special combination - the Shrewsbury Town debrief

Clean sheets

When Shrewsbury Town signed centre-backs with experience of League Two promotion in the summer, some fans joked to other clubs on social media: "Good luck scoring against us."

After conceding twice or more in eight of their opening 10 matches of the season, that 'joke' had somewhat of a rotten punchline.

But Salop are yet to be breached in the month of October - following up a stormy goalless draw at Barrow with their first home wins since February.

Right-back Luca Hoole has slotted in on the right of the back three superbly to help Sam Stubbs and Will Boyle kick and head everything away.

Ton-up Taylor

Taylor Perry won't remember too many of his 100 appearances fondly for Shrewsbury, such have been Salop's struggles in recent years.

However, he produced one of his very best performances on his landmark outing for Town.

Dropping into a slightly deeper role has benefitted him as he mixed his excellent passing with relentless energy - his pressing was top drawer.

Let's hope the next 100 appearances bring better times for Shrewsbury.

Strikers

Town will need to be more clinical than they were on Saturday, and their striking options have been limited by the news loanee Bradley Ihionvien has been ruled out for some time with a meniscus injury.

Coupled with Callum Stewart heading out on loan to Brackley Town, where he made his debut from the start in a goalless draw for his 10-man side on Saturday, Town's options are down to George Lloyd, John Marquis and Chuks Aneke.

That's not so drastic with Town using just the one centre forward at the moment, and No.9 Lloyd led the line with determination once again on Saturday, following his goalscoring contribution against Cambridge United the week before.

Marquis will no doubt be chomping at the bit to play his way back in too and Aneke has already shown the quality he has in front of goal with his strike against MK Dons.

The Clucas-Boyle combination

Boss Michael Appleton recently called on Salop's set-pieces to be better, and two of their more experienced campaigners have taken that to heart.

And for two Saturdays in a row, an outswinging corner from the left foot of former Premier League player Sam Clucas has found the head of Boyle for a goal.

That is three goals the pair have combined for this season - all in a similar fashion - with the other coming against Chelsea Under-21s in the EFL Trophy.

Teams will no doubt start to get wise to it, but if the deliveries continue to be of such quality then it will be hard for the opposition to stop it.

An added threat

The return to fitness of Anthony Scully has coincided with this improved run of form, and he looked dangerous on the counter-attack.

On the other side, Tommy McDermott is relishing playing in a more advanced showing and received a deserved standing ovation from an appreciative home crowd.

That is helping Town transition from defence to attack, and giving Lloyd the support he needs to keep opposition defences occupied.