Bernard McNally: Meadow is a fortress under Paul Hurst

It is a great period for the Shrewsbury boss having been nominated for League One manager of the month and being on a five-match unbeaten run.

He has transformed the side since taking over and their home record has been second to none.

To have nine games at the Greenhous Meadow and only concede two goals, it is tremendous.

And let's face it – the last two years prior to Hurst arriving, Town were lucky if they got a draw at home.

Paul has changed that mentality and the players he has brought in have made a massive difference so far.

They looked like they would be going down prior to him arriving but now the players are getting that inner belief and collectively as well, as a team.

Position

Tyler Roberts looks an exciting prospect; Freddie Ladapo is scoring goals and now they are above the bottom four.

A few months ago, Shrewsbury fans would have snatched the hand off of whoever offered them to be in this position at this time.

Of course, Paul will be wary – football is a funny old game and once you start to rest on your rest on your laurels, you get kicked in the teeth again.

Looking at the character of Paul and his assistant, Chris Doig, they will not let people get complacent. There is the old adage of making your home ground a fortress, and that is certainly starting to be the case.

There will not be a lot of managers who have accumulated as many points as Paul has over the last 10-15 games. Looking at the games and how they have done since he took over, they would be in the top half of the table. He has done a great job up to now because a few months ago it was doom and gloom. The chairman, Roland Wycherley, deserves a lot of credit too as the club went out and made the right appointment.

Paul seems a very down to earth person – he knows the hard work really starts now in order to stay out of those relegation places.

Freddie Ladapo is producing the goods up front with three goals from his first three games at the Meadow, and long may his scoring run continue. Of course, he came on for Stefan Payne – who was forced off after just nine minutes – in the 2-1 win against Bury last weekend.

I remember having a similar injury in my career but we did not know it was a metatarsal then, it was just a badly bruised foot. It could easily be a month, and that might be wishful thinking – it is something you cannot play on with.

Lastly, well done to 17-year-old Ryan Barnett or getting his first professional contract.

That is another side to Paul, if he recognises there is talent among the youth ranks then he will nurture them through at the right time.

Paul will feed those young players in, little by little, as you cannot put young players right in the fight as they may buckle under the pressure.

Ryan may get 20 minutes here and there – and it would seem he has all the makings to be a very good player for Shrewsbury.