Shaun Whalley: Shrewsbury Town boss Sam Ricketts deserves credit for performance
Shaun Whalley feels Sam Ricketts and his coaching team deserve credit for the way Shrewsbury performed while still going down to a defeat in Barnsley.
Ricketts felt his side controlled large parts of the game in the 2-1 Oakwell reverse and had the lion share of clear goalscoring opportunities.
Whalley, playing in a slightly altered role up front with Tyrese Campbell, was one of Town's guilty parties in front of goal, while Campbell and Fejiri Okenabirhie were also denied one-on-one and a close-range Luke Waterfall header bounced over.
Town's No.7 believed Town's game plan worked a treat and praised the management staff.
"I think the manager and coaching team deserve full credit," said Whalley of Shrewsbury's positive display watched on by nearly 600 travelling fans.
"It was a different set up, we let them have a lot of the ball and we'd counter attack them.
"By the amount of chances we had compared to them, and clear ones at that, they deserve full credit.
"And the lads do for pulling the game plan off. But we lost instead of getting at least a draw - I thought we should've won really."
Town at times made their three-man defence a five-man backline with wing-backs Ryan Sears - who impressed on just his second league start - and Scott Golbourne filling in to frustrate the second-placed hosts.
Whalley took up a more offensive role with Campbell as Salop successfully sprung on the counter.
"If I take my chance early it's 1-0 and a different game. We had three one on ones and a header at the back stick.
"We were just unlucky, fair play to Barnsley. We did really well against them but it wasn't to be."
