Shrewsbury Town analysis: Milestone afternoon for Salop as eight month wait for a home win ends in sensational style
A lot has changed at Shrewsbury Town since Saturday, February 1, 2025.
That day, Gareth Ainsworth's Salop side recorded a 2-1 win against Mansfield Town at The Croud Meadow, their second home win in a row after a memorable triumph against Wrexham two weeks earlier.
Town fans would have to wait another 252 days for their next taste of victory on home soil.
It is hard to argue that Saturday's 2-0 triumph over Cambridge United was entirely worth the wait, but the outpouring of emotion - namely joy and relief - at full time certainly showed how much it meant to those of a blue and amber persuasion.
In between those two wins Shrewsbury have been through a lot, and not much of it has been positive.
Ainsworth would leave for Gillingham less than two months after that win against Mansfield, replaced by Michael Appleton, who was unable to save Town from an almost-inevitable relegation to League Two.
The summer of 2025 saw 12 new arrivals and 13 departures, plus the exit of Director of Football Micky Moore midway through the transfer window.
That turnover of players meant just three players started both of Town's last two home wins; Luca Hoole, Taylor Perry and George Lloyd, a goal scorer on both occasions.
The latter's inclusion from the off on Saturday was the biggest piece of team news, largely because of who he replaced.
Club captain Jon Marquis dropped to the bench after a slow start to the season, replaced by Lloyd for his first start since August 23 against Swindon Town, a game he was withdrawn from with an injury after just 28 minutes.
He was one of two changes made by Michael Appleton from the side that drew 0-0 at Barrow, with Burnley-loanee Tommy McDermott coming in for Harrison Biggins.
Post-match the Shrewsbury boss said he woke up with a good feeling about his side's chances on the morning of the game, but it took his starting 11 ten minutes to wake up after kick off.
A slow start from Salop allowed Cambridge forward Shayne Lavery to try his luck from inside the penalty area twice in as many minutes, but neither effort came close to troubling keeper Will Brook.
After 12 minutes though it was the hosts who profited from some sleepy play by their opponents.
EFL veterans Michael Morrison and Korey Smith were careless with possession on the edge of the Cambridge penalty area, and underestimated the hard work and determination of pressing forward Lloyd.
Town's number nine snuck in to steal the ball away from Morrison, before bearing down on Jake Eastwood's goal and showing great composure to lift the ball over the U's keeper for 1-0.
It was Lloyd's first goal of the season, and his first since that 2-1 victory over Mansfield 252 previous. A fitting way to send Town on their way to a memorable victory.
Shrewsbury did not enjoy wave after wave of attack in front of their home crowd, but showed impressive defensive resilience to limit the visitors to little by way of attacking threat.
Brook's only save of the game came from a deflected Zak Bradshaw effort after 17 minutes, while the back three of Hoole, Sam Stubbs and Will Boyle were all required to deal with a number of crosses and long throws into their box.
Up the other end of the pitch more industrious work from Lloyd helped the hosts win a corner, which Sam Clucas stood over 36 minutes in.
His left-footed out swinging delivery was met fiercely by Boyle, who left Eastwood no chance with a powerful header into the bottom corner from the centre of the six yard box.
Shrewsbury ended the first half with two goals from two shots, and would not have another until the 82nd minute.
That was not for the lack of trying, as Ismeal Kabia and Athony Scully almost created openings after the break, but the hosts were more than happy to see the game out on their way to picking up back-to-back league clean sheets for the first time since March 2022.
Their task was made easier by their opponents, whose off day was summed up by chants of "(Neil) Harris, sort it out" being directed at the manager from the away end.
The quiet second half will not have disappointed any of the home fans one bit, who stayed behind their team throughout and thoroughly enjoyed the post match celebrations once referee Matthew Russell blew the full time whistle.
Next weekend Shrewsbury are at home again, this time against Crawley Town, giving them a real chance of another win at The Croud Meadow.
They are not going to have to wait another 252 days for their next home three points, are they?
