Blog: Cautious optimism at the Greenhous Meadow for Shrewsbury Town

We had failed to sign a recognisable striker in the close season and the squad was looking threadbare. Four games later and fans are beginning to feel cautiously optimistic about the season ahead.

Whilst our start to the season has hardly set the league on fire, a total of five points from our opening four games has given fans a boosted sense of confidence for the coming months. An opening day 0-0 draw against probable play off contenders MK Dons was a steady if uninspiring start before fans began to fear the worst following a 3-0 drubbing in the capital at the hands of Leyton Orient. Orient, however have won their opening four games and have smashed in plenty of goals to boot, perhaps we can cut ourselves some slack there.

The following two games have been nothing but encouraging for the Town. Our second game of the season saw us defeat Swindon 2-0 with a dominant display, with debutant Adam Reach scoring a goal nine minutes into his debut. Next up was Rotherham away where Town were denied three points by a late Millers equaliser in a game we really deserved to have won.

The performances so far this season, Leyton Orient aside have been surprisingly confident. Arran Wildig has come into his own in central midfield, new boy Adam Reach is dazzling fans with performances that show class beyond his years and Tom Bradshaw has nabbed himself two goals in as many games, giving fans hope he could finally find his scoring shoes for the season.

Next up is Coventry City, their start to the season has been dramatic to say the least. Their off-field problems have seen fans boycott "home" games this season but it's the fans who've missed out there. Their first two home games have been a 5-4 win for the skyblues and 4-4 draw with Bristol City and Preston respectively.

They clearly know where the net is but as their results have shown they aren't quite as efficient at the back. We have so far took four points from our opening two home games, keeping two clean sheets in the process and whilst it's only early days it looks as though our home form could prove vital for us once again this campaign.

Whilst we still may be in need of a striker and fans would certainly love to see Adam Reach's loan extended to ease our worries on the wing there is a little room for optimism at the moment, and that's something I didn't think I'd have found myself saying this time last month.