Shrewsbury come off second best as Pompey show their class

But, on Saturday, Portsmouth – enjoying a new manager bounce of their own early in Danny Cowley’s tenure – proved deserved winners over their hosts, whose hard-to-beat nature has provided very few opponents with joy in recent weeks and months.

Pompey perhaps showcased the difference between a side pushing hard for a promotion place – the visitors climbed from ninth to fifth with their victory – and a side loitering in lower mid-table.

Effectively, Cowley’s side had won the game by half-time. They only led 2-0, but that lead looked and proved insurmountable to a Town side that don’t score many and, on this occasion, struggled to create anything near enough chances – even against 10 men for the last 20 minutes plus lengthy stoppages, against former Salop goalkeeper Craig MacGillivray, who played through a neck injury.

The mightily impressive Nathanael Ogbeta’s first senior goal – the first of many, you’d expect – was a memorable moment to cap a brilliant personal week but that aside Town had very little to cheer in front of goal.

Shrewsbury have mostly relied on Shaun Whalley and Harry Chapman for goals this term. Centre-half Aaron Pierre has been the next most regular goal threat and he is injured. They have been in no way prolific and certainly lack a cutting edge, which in a way makes the stunning turnaround and run to safety under Cotterill all the more impressive.

In Curtis Main, Daniel Udoh, Rekeil Pyke and Leon Clarke they have four centre-forwards who have not found the net anywhere near enough. The latter is not even registered for league action, with academy 17 and 18-year-olds selected on the bench ahead of him.

Generally one of Chapman and Whalley have played in support of a striker. But Main and Udoh were handed a rare start together. Both have their individual qualities but neither could bring them to the table. Udoh’s struggles were summed up by sending the big early chance, following a fine turn, straight at MacGillivray. The pairing didn’t work.

Salop paid the price for an off-colour first half. Particularly from minutes 10 to 45, they could not get to grips with their visitors, who looked sharp and hungry as they zipped the ball around under instruction from the Cowley brothers on the touchline. Town, at times, chased shadows and could not get near Portsmouth.

Not that it overly matters to Town who, (still) 17th in League One are clear of any danger below them and are now coasting to the end of the season.

That does not equate to taking their eye off the ball, or shouts of the proverbial ‘on the beach’ (when jetting out to sunny climes and a sandy beach was a viable option). Cotterill, even from his home in Bristol, will not permit that. Too many Shrewsbury players are in a position where they have to impress, with contracts to play for. And this team, over a period of four months now, has proven it is hard to beat.

One defeat, their first in five games, does not mean that Shrewsbury are resigned to end the season in 17th – despite how it may feel to fans.

Having said that, the sight of three academy teenagers on the bench suggests Town are stretched. It is a great nod to the burgeoning academy, but difficult when looking for options back into the game from the bench. They were missing key players through international duty, suspension and injury, but Matija Sarkic, Ollie Norburn and even Pierre could make a timely return for the double-header against Northampton and Plymouth over the Easter Bank Holiday weekend next week.

There are still 11 games left, packed into a ridiculously tight time period where points will be unexpectedly gained and lost. Town have games in hand on rivals, they can have every confidence in finishing further up the standings.

But they will need to perform better than they did for the final half hour of the first period on Saturday, where they could not get near a vibrant Portsmouth side who no doubt look a different proposition to the side toiling under former boss Kenny Jackett not so long ago.

First half goals from Marcus Harness and John Marquis – later sent off for a rash challenge – capped very well-worked moves and put the visitors in a commanding position. The victory makes it two wins from two for the Cowleys, who guided former club Lincoln to EFL Trophy success over Salop at Wembley three years ago.

Shrewsbury, to their credit, improved after half-time and made a fist of it.

Cotterill, via phone link to the management team and dressing room, rolled the dice and changed shape and personnel.

Ryan Sears, handed a rare start rather out of position at right wing-back for the injured Josh Daniels, was hooked at half-time for Chapman, one of the two six-goal joint-top scorers named on the bench, as Salop ditched 3-5-2 for 4-3-3.

It was a tough ask for Sears, who was caught out of position for the second goal. The 22-year-old academy graduate is not a right wing-back. He has made it clear his preference is at centre-half, and would best suit a back three. At worst he would be a steady option at right-back, but a wing-back role feels like a big ask.

Throw into the mix he was up against a seasoned tricky customer like Michael Jacobs, and the fact Pompey were in the mood, and it was a perfect storm for Sears. Although, while he carried on going, he did seem low on confidence after a hospital pass almost set Portsmouth in on goal.

Sears wasn’t alone, however, in a below-par first half in which really only midfielder David Davis came out with any credit.

But the interval re-shuffle led to Ogbeta pulling one back from distance with his weaker right foot as Town gained momentum. They looked set for a push at claiming a point around the hour mark but Marquis’ dismissal midway through the half, bizarrely, did little to help the hosts.

Cowley instructed his men to sit in two banks of four, content with their narrow lead, and to soak up any pressure. There was, in truth, little to soak up.

And use of the dark arts – requiring physio breaks almost every few minutes – mixed with Shrews’ creative struggles saw out a comfortable victory. For Town, it is a case of reboot and go again. The prospect of a late surge up the table is still not beyond them.