Bristol Rovers 0 Shrewsbury 1 - Report and pictures

The striker’s third Town goal secured the visitors a vital three points after the midweek disappointment against Tranmere to record their second win in three games - having gone winless in 10 - against the hosts who have just one win in 14.

Rovers were poor and visibly low on confidence in front of angry supporters and - from their lofty play-off position under former boss Graham Coughlan before Christmas - are now just one place and point ahead of Town, who climbed two places to 15th.

And it was the small contingent of Shrewsbury supporters celebrating the 69th-minute winner after Ricketts’ side had been the better team but were guilty of missing several presentable first-half chances.

Udoh, Jason Cummings, Callum Lang and Josh Laurent had all let clear opportunities pass them by but the former’s winner - made by a brilliant Ro-Shaun Williams assist - makes it six points from nine for Ricketts to ease pressure after the disappointing form since Christmas.

Town’s match-winner was playing with a broken hand and certainly had more than a hand in this important win that sets Shrewsbury up nicely going into a daunting run of League One fixtures.

Ricketts named an attacking starting line-up in a bid to banish the demons from Tuesday’s dramatic late defeat.

In-form Lang started alongside Udoh and Jason Cummings in attack - the first time the trio had started together for Shrewsbury.

For top scorer Cummings it was a first league start since the dismal 2-0 home defeat to Accrington Stanley earlier in the month. He lined up on the right of a front three, with Lang on the opposite side flanking Udoh.

Williams was also back in Ricketts’ starting thoughts after a spell as a substitute, he came in for Kayne Ramsay at right-back as Shrews stook with a back four but started with more attackers.

Town named 17-year-old academy striker Charlie Caton as a substitute after the youngster, who has scored goals at youth team level, had been training with the first-team. Caton was Ricketts’ only attacking option from the bench.

The out-of-sorts hosts were without midfielder Abu Ogogo - a former Shrewsbury captain - through suspension. Ex-Town winger Josh Ginnelly started with Alex Rodman, scorer in this fixture last season, a sub.

All four weather seasons provided the backdrop at the Mem. Hail, sun and relentless wind were all in the sky in the hour building up to kick-off, while rain hammered down as the players walked out.

There was little to separate the sides inside 10 minutes as both had some decent moments approaching the opposition penalty area and forced set-pieces, a danger given the blustery conditions.

Ethan Ebanks-Landell should have connected to a left-sided corner he attacked with a free run but was unable to get his head on the enticing delivery.

Murmurs of discontent were heard from the unimpressed locals barely 10 minutes in.

It had been an uninspiring first 15 minutes before Udoh spurned a glaring opportunity for the visitors.

Lang’s low shot from distance deflected into the frontman’s path free in the penalty area but his low left-footed finish was saved by Jamal Blackman’s outstretched leg. Udoh was left frustrated with himself.

Town were marginally having the better of things but, at times, their attacks lacked composure in the final pass or movement was lacking.

Lang’s cross-shot from the corner of the box was straight at Blackman before Josh Laurent, who was busy early on in the attacking midfield role, shot at the keeper from a well-worked Omar Beckles cross.

Wigan loanee Lang was frustrated with himself for not making more of a promising situation after Town had won it high up from wasteful Rovers.

Ben Garner’s hosts were losing the ball at will, sometimes on a handful of occasions inside a minute.

Ginnelly did try to liven things for the home side on the counter attack, he slipped a good pass from right to left to Jayden Mitchell-Lawson who cut inside Williams but finished high, wide and not so handsome.

Shrewsbury frustration were summed up 10 minutes before the break as Laurent missed a glaring opportunity to play a simple volleyed pass into the path of Cummings’ untracked run through the middle of the pitch that would’ve put him in on goal.

Cummings vented his frustration at the midfielder’s pass.

The highlight of the first 40 minutes came as Rovers’ Luke Leahy and Ed Upson took painful balls into the private parts inside 30 seconds, leaving them both prone and writhing with pain.

The visitors’ frustration were best captured a few minutes before half-time as Salop somehow missed a triple chance to lead, leaving Ricketts clasping his hands together in frustration from the dugout.

Udoh, with his back to goal six yards out, set the ball back to Cummings who rolled a tame shot too easily blocked by a defender, the ball deflected to Lang who struck a crisp volley kept out by keeper Blackman’s feet before Josh Vela send the next rebound over the top.

The sequence summed up Town’s struggles from the season as a whole.

Boos for the home side greeted the half-time whistle with the visitors wondering how they were not ahead.

After Lang had a half-hearted penalty appeal turned down for an apparent raised hand by defender Alfie Kilgour, the Rovers man almost netted with the first chance of the second period.

A free-kick near the right corner flag, which led to Rodman’s header last season, was met by Kilgour and O’Leary made an outstanding clawed save from the top right corner.

But big Shrewsbury moments continued to come and go. The best of which fell to Cummings from a good Laurent pass. The striker lacked composure after cutting in from the right and firing well wide off-balance with his favoured left foot.

The Gas replaced injured dangerman Jonson Clarke-Harris, who had been ineffective, with Timmy Abraham - brother of Tammy - on.

Shrewsbury were edging the balance of play and got their rewards with a vital breakthrough with 21 minutes remaining.

Williams was the architect for the priceless breakthrough as he stormed forward on a rampaging run past three defenders before laying the ball into Udoh near the penalty area.

Town’s Nigerian forward did the rest, settling himself before rifling in a powerful low left-footed drive into the bottom right corner.

Udoh and his Salop colleagues tore away to celebrate with the travelling contingent next to the dugout.

It was the striker’s first goal in two months, since an effort at Bolton in between Christmas and new year.

The single effort proved enough for Ricketts’ side. It was Town the more likely to add to the scoreline as Lang fired into the side netting after neat Udoh hold-up.

Those at the unhappy Memorial Stadium waited for a late onslaught from the hosts but it was not to come - even the addition of Rodman could not spark anything for the hosts, whose supporters vented their frustration.

Laurent’s strike was palmed away by Blackman in added time after a succession of cautions made for a stop-start final 10 minutes but one where Rovers were unable to lay a glove on Salop, who celebrated an imperative victory.

Bristol Rovers (4-2-3-1):

Blackman; Kilgour, Menayese (Rodman, 80), Craig, Leahy; Upson, Clarke ©; Mitchell-Lawson, Sercombe (Daly, 71), Ginnelly; Clarke-Harris (Abraham, 63).

Subs not used: Van Stappershoef (gk), Holmes-Dennis, Bennett, Harries.

Shrewsbury Town (4-3-3):

O’Leary; Williams, Ebanks-Landell, Pierre, Beckles; Vela, Laurent, Edwards (c); Lang (Walker, 90+2), Udoh, Cummings (Ramsay, 86).

Subs not used: Burgoyne (gk), Golbourne, Love, Goss, Caton.

Referee: Alan Young

Attendance: 6,954 (396 Shrewsbury fans)