Portsmouth 1 Shrewsbury Town 1: Five talking points from the draw

Here are five talking points from the game.

Paying the penalty

To concede four penalties in four games and five in seven is some going.

It is the kind of record you are more likely to see on a park pitch and is something boss John Askey must be ripping his hair out over.

Last week he said his side need to stop giving away ‘stupid’ penalties but the message was lost on Alex Gilliead as he brushed Nathan Thompson to the deck. It was soft, but that matters little.

Askey has blamed decision-making and game management.

Whatever it is, it needs to stop.

Thrilling first half

You didn’t know which side were unbeaten and who was without a win.

Members of the press box were left scratching their heads as Askey’s Town tore into hapless Pompey, who were chasing shadows.

Around 60 per cent possession as Town dominated with and without the ball. But the 11 shots on goal, none on target, spoke volumes about attacking deficiencies.

Pompey were unlikely to be so bad after a Kenny Jackett rollicking and improved.

Town got their goal and should have held on.

Lenell John-Lewis

The forward continues to find himself the butt of Town fans’ jokes but again gave an honest showing at Fratton Park.

He will have been disappointed with missing two decent first-half chances but his impact on Shrews’ fine attacking play cannot be doubted.

He isn’t the most nimble but works hard and can hold off defenders.

John-Lewis, in for new father Lee Angol, is clearly behind Angol in the pecking order – and probably a fit Aaron Amadi-Holloway – but can be effective used in the right way.

Tenth time lucky?

It is pretty rare for any new boss to reach 10 games without a win.

Askey managed it in his ninth with Macclesfield in 2013.

Questions are rightly being asked but the boss remains confident that his side have shown they have comfortably enough about them to avoid trouble this season.

Indifferent Southend visit the Meadow this Saturday in a game that really needs to be Askey’s first win as Shrewsbury boss.

Town have shown all the signs of promise but now is the time to deliver.

Midfield options

Anthony Grant and Ollie Norburn were Town’s best players at Fratton Park – and there were eight or nine that enjoyed really good displays.

The duo, Grant in particular, were relentless and gave Pompey’s midfield not a moment’s piece.

They were useful with the ball too as Town had it on a string, especially in the first period.

Josh Laurent, the third man in the middle, tired after the break and Greg Docherty came on to make a huge impact with the opener.

Time to bring him back in to start?