Analysis: Struggling Shrewsbury Town must solve problems in both boxes

Town have assembled a decent squad capable of playing attractive football but are making glaring errors and falling short in both penalty areas.

Saturday’s 1-1 draw with a very underwhelming Bristol Rovers side was (another) game Askey’s men should have won.

Instead, it is eight in all competitions – including six in League One – without a win.

The script seemed to be written as, with 20 minutes to go, the returning Stefan Payne was the difference. The striker, who Askey let leave on deadline day after he began the League One season with Salop, netting from the penalty spot.

Thankfully, a helping hand from Gas defender Daniel Leadbitter, with the own goal, spared Town back-to-back league defeats,

Former Macclesfield boss Askey is well aware that record is not acceptable. For the most part this season he has backed his players to the hilt. He has praised them while accepting they have lacked a killer touch in the final third.

Shrewsbury played some eye-catching football, particularly in the first half, against a poor visiting side but didn’t come close to putting debutant goalkeeper Jack Bonham under significant pressure.

They looked blunt up top. Lone frontman Lee Angol, on the back of two goals in two starts, was largely starved of service – but when it came his way he couldn’t hold it up.

Town played well up until around the edge of Rovers’ box, which effectively counts for very little if you aren’t threatening to take advantage.

Shaun Whalley, who did not have his best game but still stood out as one of Shrews’ biggest threats, saw off-target deliveries often fly wayward and opposite winger Alex Gilliead was off-colour and provided no threat.

In previous games Askey has been insistent he is not worried about Town’s lack of wins, because his side are creating chances and – eventually – they are bound to hit the net.

Town had the better moments against the Gas but created very few clear-cut chances. An Omar Beckles header and Ollie Norburn’s efforts from distance were as good as it got aside from the equaliser 18 minutes from time, forced by a Whalley cross.

Shrews did not fashion anywhere near enough chances on goal from open play in a game they largely dominated. The home side had far too much in midfield for Rovers and came out on top in almost every 50-50 battle.

Equally as worrying was that this extremely limited Rovers side were able to get themselves ahead in a game Shrewsbury were well on top in.

Out of nowhere, against the run of play, clumsy defending from Luke Waterfall handed Payne the gift from 12 yards. Even that was not his best spot-kick and Joel Coleman got a strong hand to hit – only to help it into the corner.

Credit must go to Payne’s classy reaction. Raising an arm in almost apologetic fashion. He was never going to celebrate. Worryingly that is the fourth penalty Shrewsbury have conceded in eight games. One in every two. For a team struggling for goals they are handing opponents gilt-edged chances from the spot. Askey has to affect the problems in both boxes before the season gets away from his team.

Waterfall is an experienced defender and was having a solid afternoon dealing with and nullifying Payne’s threat up to the point he was far too easily turned by Ollie Clarke and penalised.

It is the third time already this season the summer signing has given away a penalty – rash, needless, clumsy infringements that Shrewsbury could do without.

Askey is determined to build from a solid base and, not so long ago, Town picked up back-to-back clean sheets and looked solid.

Praise must go the way of 19-year-old Ryan Sears. The right-back, handed his Shrews debut after being recalled from AFC Telford, came in for the injured James Bolton and barely put a foot wrong.

He did not look at all out of place. Loan deadline signing Josh Emmanuel, from Ipswich, was unregistered for this game but will battle it out with Bolton for that slot.

Sears, meanwhile, can be very pleased with himself.

Shrews should have gone on to win this game but paid the price for shooting themselves in the foot.

As the boss pointed out after the match, credit must go Salop’s way for not going within themselves after conceding and bringing themselves level.

Sub Aaron Amadi-Holloway, returning from a groin injury, looked sharp and powerful after coming on to partner Angol. His initial surging run, following up by Whalley, made the Town goal.

Welshman Amadi-Holloway may have showed in a couple of recent cameos that he is very much up for the battle for lone striker with Mansfield signing Angol.

After the goal there was little real threat from the home side. They didn’t throw the kitchen sink at a weary Rovers.

Askey said that Town lack a cutting edge, be it an accurate final ball, a clinical moment or the nous to out-fox a defender.

These problems are not unsolvable. Shrewsbury do not have a squad of poor players. But work needs to be done behind the scenes in the system, notably in the final third, where Town’s attackers need to be smarter and more decisive.

Meanwhile the boss reserved praise for the fans. Said it must be ‘a pleasure’ to play in front of them and they showed their loyalty. They need something to cheer about soon. Askey will be sick of pointing out the same deficiencies each Saturday.