Dave Edwards: A big week ahead for Shrewsbury Town's revival

This result will not define Town's season, but they definitely had enough to get something out of the game.

The first half was very competitive with chances at both ends. Josh Ruffels scored a good goal and we were waiting to have a big reaction, with a sold-out 1,600 away following, and go after Crewe in the second half.

Unfortunately, which is very uncharacteristic of them in recent weeks, they just didn't quite turn up.

I've always said this season, Shrewsbury perform so much better when they are a team which is winning loose balls in the middle of the pitch, landing on those moments. 

They have done that in the last five games, they've definitely been the better team at winning the second ball and being on the front foot, but for whatever reason, for half an hour in that second half, they didn't manage to do that. 

Tommi O'Reilly had an excellent game and it always felt like he would score after what happened with him at Town last season, but Crewe should have been out of sight before that.

Shrewsbury did galvanise themselves in the final minutes and they gave it a little bit of a go and had some chances themselves before conceding the third goal, but they didn't do enough in that second half to get anything out of the game.

I do feel if they would have played at the same level as what they have done in recent games, then they could have gotten something out of that game. That will be disappointing for Michael Appleton because as soon as you don't pick up points, then the jeopardy reappears. 

They find themselves in the bottom two again with a big week ahead.

The EFL Trophy is up tonight and it will be a tough game at Northampton, but they know the scenario they're in. If they win that game, they're through. If they don't, they're not and that might help the situation.

They've got to go there with the intention that they're going to go after Northampton and try and win that game and do that right from the first moment. Michael Appleton will want to see a reaction from his players, but it's going to be difficult for the team because only a few days later they're at home against Newport, the only team in the football league below them. That's a huge match, a massive match.

Do you protect your better players tonight to ensure they are fit and available? The likes of Kabia who has been struggling with some tendon issues. Do you rest him? Do you play him? It's a difficult decision to make because you want to carry some momentum into that game and get back to winning ways.

But you also don't want to go into Saturday's game tired or with players missing through injury. It's a difficult balance and the Newport match has to take priority.

Losing to Crewe puts a little bit more pressure on that match. In the last home matches they've played, under huge pressure, Town have got clean sheets and done well, they now need more of the same.

The one good thing coming out of Saturday's performance was the performance of Ruffels.

He's been training with the team for a long time. It looked like we were going to miss out on his signature, but managed to get it over the line. I wondered where he'd fit into the team and I didn't think he'd be in central midfield, but I feel his performance at Crewe was really encouraging.

The experience he brings, but the quality he brings as well, and that was topped off with a good goal. Players like him, Will Boyle, Sam Stubbs, Clucas - those experienced players - they can be so key when it comes to Saturday against Newport. Hopefully he can continue that good form.