Peterborough v Shrewsbury Town: Ro-Shaun Williams desperate for a win to shout about

The defender is a quiet individual off the pitch but comes alive as a leader in Shrewsbury Town’s defence, demanding high standards, writes Lewis Cox.

For that reason the centre-back is, understandably, disappointed with how an underwhelming start to the campaign has left Sam Ricketts’ side in the drop zone after eight games in League One.

Former Manchester United youngster Williams, still only just turned 22, has already clocked up over 50 games for Town and is likely to take his place in Ricketts’ defence as Salop make the tricky-looking trip to one of the league’s promotion hopefuls, Peterborough United, tomorrow.

Williams said: “We’re all very frustrated as a team. Some games we’ve come away having lots of possession, chances, crosses. We need to turn those half-chances into clear-cut chances.

“With the attackers we’ve got it’s going to mean a goal.

“Then there’s nasty games like Wimbledon, probably the worst we’ve played, and we get three points.

“We’ve got to keep cracking on. Deano (Whitehead) said that the only way we get can out of this is by sticking together, working hard, doing the right stuff and not losing our identity as a team, (which is) playing out from the back, getting crosses in, playing good football.”

Town’s bid to end a run of three straight defeats, their poorest in regulation league games for well over three years, takes them to London Road and fourth-placed Peterborough.

Darren Ferguson’s men could only muster a point at home to League One basement boys Burton in midweek, a draw which ended a run of six wins on the spin in all competition – five in the league.

It remains to be seen whether Williams, one of Town’s three recognised centre-halves, will be shuffled out to right-back tomorrow to allow his defensive prowess to deal with Posh wing flyer Siriki Dembele.

Posh also boast the creative forces of ex-Bristol City schemer Sammie Szmodics, tricky winger Joe Ward and Jonson Clarke-Harris, the high-profile centre-forward acquisition to replace Ivan Toney, who left for Championship Brentford.

Williams, though, is focusing on how Shrewsbury’s defenders can improve.

“On Saturday, me and (Aaron) Pierre were sloppy,” he added. “Rochdale was a team we should’ve beat, from crosses, shots. We should be beating them and basically gave them a 2-0 head start.

“Peterborough are a side always around the play-offs, they are always doing well but we need a turn of results, we need a win, definitely, whoever we play we need a win right now.

“I need to do my job, what I’m good at and keep them quiet.”

Town are suffering heavily on the injury front, with a number of players sidelined, including Matija Sarkic, Deyan Iliev, Scott Golbourne, Ryan Sears, Dave Edwards, Shaun Whalley, Rekeil Pyke, Leon Clarke and the ill Jason Cummings.

Ricketts boasts an impressive record against tomorrow’s hosts, unbeaten from his three contests, including two wins.

The boss said: “They are a team I’d tip to do very well this year, a lot of people’s favourites to win the league.

“They’ve got good individuals but t’s something to look forward to, I enjoy plying the so-called better teams in the league.

“But when it rains it pours for us at the moment. Deyan is out for a number of weeks, Jason Cummings is still ill, Leon Clarke is unfortunately injured, he had an issue the other day, which is why he started on the bench and he was unable to go through that, so he’s going to be out.”