Bernard McNally column: Shrewsbury's victory over Barnsley was like Sir Alex Ferguson's Mark Robins moment
Sir Alex Ferguson had his ‘Mark Robins moment’ all those years ago – and Tuesday night’s tremendous win over Barnsley could just be John Askey’s equivalent.
There is no question John would have been feeling real pressure after Saturday’s Sunderland defeat.
Two defeats on the spin and there were plenty of rumours and speculation going into the game at the Meadow on the evening.
And, when I arrived in the press box and looked at the teamsheet to see no Mat Sadler with Luke Waterfall as captain in his place, there were more than a few eyebrows raised.
It was a bold call to leave out fans’ favourite and captain Sadler.
But the performance was without question the best I’ve seen from a John Askey Shrewsbury team. His best result too.
Ferguson was given just a few more games at United all those years ago to turn it around and the rest is history.
Waterfall and others stepped up to the plate, especially with the defender’s towering header at the end to seal a terrific 3-1 win.
John’s response to the victory, where he said he hopes to get more time to work at Shrewsbury, was quite telling.
It confirmed to me that, with the controversial decision to drop Sadler and use 3-5-2 against a good team like Barnsley, he just thought ‘stuff it – I’m going to do something new’. And the formation worked a treat.
Barnsley were playing a continental style under a German boss of passing it out from the back and Shrewsbury pressed them. Town’s midfielders were brilliant. I was very impressed again by Greg Docherty and Ollie Norburn. They were class.
The two strikers Lee Angol and Fejiri Okenabirhie played well. The only thing they were missing was a goal. You always want your strikers scoring.
The handbags at the end involving a couple of players and both teams’ staff showed to me there was still fight in this group of Shrewsbury players and the management.
It’s Oxford, who are in the bottom four, away on Saturday. The start of a run of teams who are in and around Town.
It’s a huge game. The great thing is there is confidence. We should be going there as a unit with confidence.
I’d keep the same side. Graham Turner always used to say ‘you don’t change a winning team’. If it ain’t broke don’t fix it!
The three points are well within our grasp. If they do what they did on Tuesday, go and really get in Oxford’s faces, then there’s no reason we can’t come away with three points.
Shrewsbury fans will be disappointed if the team can’t build on Barnsley with a much-needed first away victory this season.
