Shropshire Star

Sam Ricketts urges Shrewsbury Town to replicate Portsmouth showing

Boss Sam Ricketts has urged his Shrewsbury players to replicate the encouraging display against Portsmouth to boost their League One survival bid.

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Ricketts was pleased with his side’s much-improved performance against promotion-chasing Portsmouth, despite seeing his side lose 2-0 in a game they were on top of for large parts.

The boss feels the performance was an example of what his side are capable of, labelling it Town’s best display in a ‘long, long time’.

There was an acknowledgement from the Montgomery Waters Meadow crowd that Shrewsbury had improved on the 2-1 win over Wycombe seven days prior, where jeers from the crowd were aimed at the manager. Now Ricketts wants Salop, who dropped one place to 19th, to learn from their promising display and deliver it consistently.

He said: “Definitely (it’s the consistency) – that’s where we are.

“It’s really pleasing when you do see that level of performance, because you know what the team are capable of.

“It’s not like we turned up, got beaten 2-0, and hadn’t ever threatened Portsmouth or struggled to get their half – for three-quarters of the game it was us asking questions of Portsmouth, but unfortunately we just couldn’t quite make it work.

“We’ve certainly got it within us, but we have to make it happen.

“There’s no point playing well and not getting results.

“I’d rather play well and understand why we played well so we can take that into the next game.”

Town stormed out of the blocks against Pompey, but were made to pay for failing to take advantage of a dominant 30 minutes as Ben Close put the visitors ahead before the break.

A shocking late error involving Steve Arnold and Omar Beckles, as the keeper kicked a clearance against Portsmouth’s Brett Pitman, led to Pitman netting the killer second.