Shrewsbury v Bristol Rovers - Match Preview

Town return home this evening for the visit of Bristol Rovers as boss Ricketts feels an undercurrent of positive momentum beneath his side, writes Lewis Cox.

Town welcome the Gas encouraged by last Saturday’s last-gasp winner at AFC Wimbledon after what had been a below-par performance.

Ricketts had been critical of Salop’s showing immediately after full-time but, in his press briefing yesterday having watched the contest again, he was more content with what he saw as Town went five unbeaten in all competitions.

“We’re in good momentum. We’ve won three out of five, drawing two. The only game we lost was Northampton and we didn’t deserve to lose that,” Ricketts said ahead of the meeting with Ben Garner’s men.

“You can sit here with your glass half full or half empty but we’re really pleased with how it’s going and also know there’s a lot more to come.”

Ricketts referenced his side making more than 500 passes at Loftus Road on Saturday, the second most of any League One side.

The Shrews boss is encouraged his side were able to dig in for a victory while not at their best, but still wants to see swifter and sharper build-up play.

“We won a game which I said afterwards I was disappointed in but having watched it back it was a completely different game to what I saw,” Ricketts added.

“There was only one team in League One who passed it more than us at the weekend, we had over 500 passes.

“Yes it can be better, yes it can be more penetrative and the biggest one is we gave the ball away in areas I didn’t want to and it gave them their best opportunities.

“But we won a game without playing well.

“We had that little bit of quality and gold dust in the delivery late on and it’s a great sign we can come off the pitch having won and say ‘we can play better than that’.

“Whereas I think sometimes in the past I’ve felt we’d had to play very well to win. It’s a real good sign that we have the ability to dig in and grind out results. Any team has to do that.”

Rovers, where Shrewsbury secured a crucial win in late February shortly before lockdown, are a changed side under former West Brom first-team coach Garner this year.

Garner has tweaked the system and now wants his side passing forward through the lines, as opposed to more a direct approach.

Starting without a league win in three, Rovers have hit some form, going unbeaten in the last three, with impressive wins against Northampton and Lincoln City which puts them 12th, two points better off than Town.

“It’s a very different Bristol Rovers team,” Ricketts said. “Last year they would out-run or out-battle you and this time they have gone to three-at-the-back and trying to dominate from there and use their passing.”

The Town chief said he is looking for his players to take more care in possession and not be the architects of their own downfall tonight.

“On a handful of occasions we gave the ball away in dangerous areas and that was our own downfall,” he said.

“On five or six occasions we gave them the ball in very vulnerable situations and that changed the momentum against Wimbledon, who are not a bad side.

“I don’t think we’ve played a game this year where we haven’t dominated possession or had more than 50 per cent.

“It’s different to last year, where we had less possession and tried to play on the counter. We’re a different style, we want to move the ball but we want to hurt teams with it, not keeping it for keeping it sake.

“It does mean we should have more control with the ball than without it. It’s good progress from where we were.”

Town are still without Shaun Whalley (calf) for the clash, while right-backs Marlon Fossey and Matt Millar look set to miss out again, meaning Ro-Shaun Williams is again likely to fill in on the right of Shrews’ back four.