Shrewsbury Town verdict: Encouraging signs despite home defeat

Everybody knows that at this stage of the results are all that count.

Yet there was a reasonable feeling of encouragement felt in parts of the home crowd after Portsmouth had seen out their 2-0 win.

There was a feeling that, if Town can maintain near that level of performance for the remaining seven games, they will escape the pitfalls of relegation from League One.

It was a defeat, yet there was nowhere near the animosity from the stands aimed at Sam Ricketts that plagued the victory over Wycombe seven days prior.

That day, a dramatic late turnaround did little to mask the toxic chants aimed at Town’s management but – with a much-improved performance against one of the division’s big-hitters – Salop fans left with more confidence, albeit empty-handed.

Yes, there was more of an emphasis on Town beating rivals Wycombe. Portsmouth was, in some ways, a free hit. A chance to bank some points where they were almost written off. The Meadow emptied quickly after Brett Pitman – a murmured transfer target for Salop in January – put the gloss on Pompey’s win 11 minutes from time following a catastrophic error between Steve Arnold and Omar Beckles.

While plenty left to beat the traffic with clearly no way back for their side, it wasn’t leaving in disgruntled anger. Yes, Portsmouth’s second goal was a shambles, but overall the response to Town’s performance was good.

Those that remained in their seats until full-time gave Ricketts and his side a deserved recognition of the effort they put in against decent opposition.

And it wasn’t just the hard yards and graft that the home team showed, they showed bags of quality. They pulled the visiting players one way and the other in the first half, some of Town’s play oozed quality.

Kevin Jackett’s promotion-chasers did not know what had hit them for the first 30 minutes.

They could not get out, were forced into a couple of formation changes to try to keep a rampant Shrews at bay, but the hosts were all over Pompey, silencing the circa-1,200 away following.

It wasn’t just Salop’s vibrant attacking trio of Fejiri Okenabirhie, Greg Docherty and Shaun Whalley, Shrews were better all over the pitch against a very decent visiting XI.

Portsmouth’s attackers did not get any change out of the Town defence until their side grabbed a foothold.

It has been a harsh lesson all season long and certainly one of Town’s main issues as a whole – they have not been nearly ruthless enough to take advantage of games while in the ascendency.

Ricketts’ men could and possibly should have been at least a goal to the good before Portsmouth had even fashioned a meaningful attempt on Arnold’s goal.

There is an irony here that, at a precarious time in the season where results are the be-all-and-end-all, Town played poorly the week before a sneaked a win.

This time they were left penniless despite looking arguably the better team over 90 minutes as a whole.

But despite numerous efforts on goal, former Town goalkeeper Craig MacGillivray was only forced into one save – where he was at his best to deny Whalley’s fierce low drive.

Town had half-a-dozen other efforts either narrowly off-target or superbly defended. While Pompey were penned in early on, you have to praise their resoluteness in defence, ability to make a last-ditch challenge and general organisation – the hallmarks of a Jackett side.

It could be argued that, were Ricketts’ defence anywhere near as non-porous, that Shrews would have taken at least a point from the match.

Because they shot themselves in the foot again just five minutes before the break by conceding a soft goal.

The visitors had, by this time, got a foothold in the game but they were not made to work for the opener, in which Pompey crowded out Anthony Grant in midfield, worked the ball well to the left and were on to a rebound quicker than Town players.

Ricketts said it was a soft goal and it has been the case this season all too often that the opposition have been handed easy goals, while Shrews have made hard work of breaking sides down.

To their credit Town came out the second half and had another go. They weren’t as free-flowing as they were at the start of the first period, but they were still on the front foot.

Again, the visitors came into it, and Shrews were dealt the killer blow as Beckles left a long ball over the top for the out-rushing Arnold to clear – but all the keeper could manage was booting his clearance off the defender.

Pitman smartly nodded to Oli Hawkins, took the return pass in the box and finished. Cool, calm, ruthless.

Fans were displeased at the manner of the second goal their side conceded – and the manager shared that ire – but overall Salop played well.

The attacking intent, mainly with Whalley and Docherty combining brilliantly at times, was refreshing and absolutely needs to stay.

Their true test now – and it will make or break their survival bid – will be to play as they did for the most against Pompey when it truly matters.

The next two fixtures against Southend and Scunthorpe are huge. They sit 20th and 18th respectively, with Shrewsbury 19th.

There is no beating around the bush, these are six-pointers when it is make or break. Ricketts would snatch your hands off now for two 1-0 wins even if they were ugly victories.