Shrewsbury Town verdict: Big stride taken toward safety as Salop show improvement

That’s five wins in a row for Salop against the Shrimpers – and you’d think they could scarcely come bigger than this one.

Well, the first of that five-game sequence was just shy of two years ago when, on April 22, 2017, Junior Brown headed in at the Meadow to secure Town’s League One status.

This victory at Roots Hall didn’t go as far as to confirm Sam Ricketts’ side’s place for next season but it was a giant stride towards their end target.

Now on 46 points with six games remaining, including four matches against sides around them in the relegation scrap, it looks like two more wins will do the job and secure safety. That should be very much achievable.

There was no hiding the scale of this match. Twentieth hosts 19th – this was huge.

There were blue and amber nerves on the long haul down to Essex in the Saturday sunshine. Mostly because Town’s away record this season remained the worst in the division before kick-off.

There was the positive to cling from that Ricketts’ men performed pretty well against high-flying Portsmouth seven days prior, but doing OK against the big-hitters has not been an issue this season, it’s the crunch games against struggling rivals that have been a problem for Salop.

Even ardent Shrews fans would not have predicted their biggest away league win of the season. True, it only had to beat a couple of 2-1 successes, but what a feeling it was for Ricketts, his players and the 300-plus Salopians enjoying the Roots Hall celebrations.

Shrewsbury were far from fluent, creative and dynamic against a woeful Southend side bereft of confidence, but they were resilient, composed and in control.

Fejiri Okenabirhie and Luke Waterfall’s goals were assured. Those have been two of Town’s most reliable players in front of goal all season, yet both ended mini-droughts – despite the latter’s defensive position, he is expected to challenge in front of goal!

Ricketts hit the nail on the head when he saluted his team for grinding out a comfortable victory.

Town have not ground out wins this season – it just hasn’t happened under either John Askey or Ricketts – so the manner of the success was most pleasing.

After disappointing outcomes on their travels last time out at Rochdale and Plymouth, and the conflicting dramas at home to Wycombe and Portsmouth, this professional display was the perfect tonic.

All the praise heaped on Town must come with the caveat of just how poor Southend were. You fear for the Shrimpers after Chris Powell was given the chop last week. They looked in dire straits, with no plan, cohesion and confidence.

Southend didn’t manage a single shot against Peterborough in their previous match and when top scorer Simon Cox shot at Town goalkeeper Jonathan Mitchell the ironic cheers around Roots Hall sent a strong message to the board. Shrimpers fans know they are in trouble.

But that should not take away from the job Town did. They know all too well how difficult it is taking on a side that have just lost their manager – the recent loss at Rochdale came days after Keith Hill was sacked and the hosts turned Salop over that day.

Southend weren’t too bad for five or 10 minutes and the crowd was right behind them and long-serving academy boss Ricky Duncan, who is in caretaker charge.

But Town stepped it up and without creating too much looked comfortably the better and more organised team with the ball. They looked like they possessed better footballers with more of a plan.

Again, like against Pompey, Shaun Whalley, Greg Docherty and 15-goal top scorer Okenabirhie were the main instigators. The trio have struck up a clever little understanding.

It is rare Ricketts keeps things similar and the only change he made from Pompey was a forced one as Steve Arnold missed out for Mitchell in goal. The full Town debutant, on loan from Derby, had precious little to do aside from a few catches. His distribution was spot on.

Ricketts left rotation behind this time and his players rewarded his decision. Perhaps it will shape the manager’s decisions for the rest of the season. The outfield players he selected all seemed to know their roles pretty well.

Town edged a nothing first half but were clinical after the break. They did their jobs well in both boxes.

Maximum spoils lifted Ricketts’ side from 19th to 15th. Only one team below them managed a win, the resurgent AFC Wimbledon. It really was as big as three points can get.

The victory has not solved all of Shrews’ problems. They are not likely to play such a poor side again this season and Ricketts is right in saying his side are still learning.

The clocks went forward yesterday but the Town boss will be praying for the date to come when his side are safe.

They still need at least a couple of big results having only won four in the league since the turn of the year. But the wins are coming more consistently now and that will appease Ricketts who will be stronger in his belief they have enough to get it done.

They passed a significant challenge in Southend. The hosts were poor but Salop could have wilted again, like they did at Rochdale and Plymouth, but they had enough control and composure to see the job through.

Town should be licking their lips at the chance in front of their home fans next week. Another side without a leader, managerless Scunthorpe – who lost at AFC Wimbledon on Saturday – come to town having won one and lost six in eight.

One more win and they are almost there. It doesn’t have to be a classic or rip-roaring, they just need to get the job done.