Boss guns for Bury backlash
Manager Gary Peters has challenged his Shrewsbury side to treat the end of their unbeaten sequence as a positive - and launch another season-defining run with tomorrow night's visit of Bury. Manager Gary Peters has challenged his Shrewsbury side to treat the end of their unbeaten sequence as a positive - and launch another season-defining run with tomorrow night's visit of Bury. Town suffered their first defeat since Boxing Day - and in 14 matches - as they went down 2-1 to high-flying Swindon at the County Ground. That result all but ended any lingering aspirations of automatic promotion, and saw Town slide out of the play-off positions at the expense of Wycombe. Picture: Was it a goal? - Swindon keeper Phil Smith is clearly over line with the ball in his hands during the last minute of Town's 2-1 defeat. Read the full story in today's Shropshire Star
That result all but ended any lingering aspirations of automatic promotion, and saw Town slide out of the play-off positions at the expense of Wycombe.
But Peters was retaining a positive outlook as he prepares his side - who were within two matches of smashing the club record for the longest unbeaten run - for the final eight games of the season.
"When you are on a long run like that, you know it's going to come to an end at some point," said the Town chief. "If it comes to an end at the right time, it can be a positive. It would have been very difficult to go 23 games unbeaten until the end of the season, and 26 if you include the play-offs.
"We are entering the most important part of the season and we have got no runs to worry about - we just have to try and get on another one and win games.
"Automatic promotion is now 14 points away. You might have a chance if you win all eight games but it's hard work to come back from where we are.
"But with regards to the play-offs, we came out of the weekend pretty much scot-free. Stockport lost and Peterborough and Wycombe drew which probably wasn't enough for either of them.
"Peterborough are still behind us and Stockport are only one point clear from two games more."
Peters reserved special praise for the 700-plus travelling contingent who provided excellent support for their side. "If we had played half as well as the fans, we would have won the game comfortably," he added. "There were 7,000 in the ground but all I could here was our supporters.
"I was delighted with the way they got behind us and that's the kind of support we are going to need for the next eight games."
Town were today keeping one eye on midfielder Dave Edwards who was withdrawn with a tight hamstring in the closing stages.
By James Garrison
Picture: Was it a goal? - Swindon keeper Phil Smith is clearly over line with the ball in his hands during the last minute of Town's 2-1 defeat.