Paul Hurst hails Shrewsbury Town players' ability to handle pressure

Jon Nolan's fine strike early in the second period was the difference as Town returned to winning ways at Montgomery Waters Meadow.

But Hurst wants his players to begin playing with more freedom and ensure that the pressure does not becomes a hindrance as Town continue battling in second place in League One.

The boss, whose side only had one win in five league games prior to kick-off, said: "I think it's part of the problem. I said to the players just there - just because it's not gone as swimmingly well as how we started out - it seems like there's a bit of pressure on the players.

"There's no need to play like that. They've done extremely well, they should remember to enjoy it and relax, to a degree.

"As long as the effort and commitment is there, which it clearly was, I think you have to try to relax.

"You hope in the future, while every game is a big game, that there are some massive games later in the season.

"It's a long way to see if that's the case.

"We've got to enjoy the ride and not big everything up too much. Maybe in the press, and not meaning to, everyone gets a little bit anxious and the game was played out that way."

Nolan's fifth goal of the season was the difference in an cagey affair with little in the way of goalscoring opportunities.

Town supporters grew edgy as both teams struggled to string passes together.

But Gary Bowyer's Tangerines created barely any clear-cut chances to worry Town's rearguard.

Hurst thinks that the display was akin to those that his side were showing earlier in the campaign when they embarked on a 15-game unbeaten run.

He added: "We haven't been conceding many in truth but it felt like it was a step back towards - while we played better against Bradford and lost, than today - it felt like a step back towards earlier in the season.

"Certainly the work rate seemed up there, I am interested to see the stats after that.

"You want clean sheets. We said at half-time it was a battle of wills, that's how I saw it.

"I said to them that the worst we come away with is a point and 0-0, the absolute worst. The players have done one better and it's a nice three points, keeps up second for the fans - I know they'll be very pleased with that."

Nolan impressed and almost capped his performance with an audacious late lob from the right touchline.

Hurst added on his match-winner: "I'm always on at him to shoot more, for the amount of times he gets the ball and is looking to move it on instead of being a little bit more selfish.

"In the first-half he had a strike from distance where he didn't quite get it from under his feet and it went way over.

"But on his left side he is certainly better than a swinger and, with the surface, it picked up a bit of pace on its way in."