Aaron Wilbraham delighted at 'team effort' as Shrewsbury secure League One status

Matthew Pennington was the hero, as the defender headed in a winner for his first Salop goal early in the second half and the visitors were good value for their three points in an outstanding resilient display.

The result, which ended a run of three straight defeats, means Town - now in 16th with 53 points - are mathematically safe from relegation and will enter a seventh straight League One campaign next term.

The achievement is job very well done for absent boss Steve Cotterill, who has been away for almost five months, and staff including Wilbraham and David Longwell who have led from the front in his absence.

Town achieved safety with four games left, having been second-bottom with just one win and nine points when Cotterill replaced Sam Ricketts in late November.

And Wilbraham admitted in securing safety he felt pride in repaying the faith his former Bristol City boss Cotterill paid in bringing him to the club in December.

"It's not just me, it's Dave Longwell, Brian Jensen, AJ, Beechy, all the physios, everyone involved," Wilbraham said.

"It's been a big group effort, everybody knew what happened to the manager, that we had to get around each other and help each other through.

"And I think the attitude from everyone has been spot on, all of the players have been attentive to the situation and really drove everyone forward.

"I'm just really proud to do a job for the gaffer really, after he gave me the chance, I'm glad to repay him in that way."

On having their status mathematically secured, he added: "We mentioned in the dressing room, the lads have done unbelievable anyway after what had happened.

"To come and secure our status at a ground like this against a team like Blackpool who have been flying is a massive achievement, and to do the double with two clean sheets against a really good attacking side shows how far the lads have come."

Pennington's winner ended Blackpool's 18-match unbeaten run at Bloomfield Road, which dated back to October. Town are now unbeaten in 13 against the Seasiders, including 10 wins.7

Wilbraham added: "I thought the lads were excellent today over the course of 90 minutes. Over the last few games we've said we'd done it for one half and not the other.

"It was Doncaster first half where we didn't keep it up and it was the opposite the other night (Wigan). But everyone was disciplined for 90 minutes, it was a great team win and the manager touched on that at the end as well.

"They've got really dangerous players, we focused on that in the week and we knew we had to have a game plan, and everyone stuck to it, all the subs that came on, all the detail that they took on board.

"From one to 11, plus the subs, everyone was really committed for each other, backing each other up, which is when we're at our best."

On-loan Everton defender Pennington was the hero with his first goal for the club and an outstanding defensive display, one of several including skipper Ollie Norburn, David Davis out of position at right-back and a rare start for Dave Edwards, who somehow completed 90 minutes.

Wilbraham added on the goal: "It's funny, we practised about 10 of those (corners) yesterday and Chappy kind of pee-rolled every one of them! He said he'd be alright at them tomorrow.

"He struck it right on the money, Penno makes that run really well. He's probably not the biggest centre-half you'll ever see but he's really aggressive in how he climbs for the ball.

"He was unlucky the other night with one cleared off the line but it was a great header."

With Daniel Udoh missing having sustained concussion after being hit in the face by the ball in training on Friday, Cotterill opted to hand a senior debut from the off to 18-year-old academy striker Charlie Caton.

"The manager got the team spot on, Charlie Caton did excellent on his full league debut, he worked really hard and threatened to run in behind, a lot of the time we didn't spot him in the first half," Wilbraham said.

"The lads really got behind him as they did on Nathanael's debut. To come away with a win and a clean sheet is a nice feeling on your debut. He deserved it, he's done really well in training and when he's come on in games."

Three of Town's remaining four matches are at Montgomery Waters Meadow, beginning against promotion-chasing Lincoln on Tuesday night.