Analysis: Gavin Cowan era at Shrewsbury Town begins with resilience and a valuable point
Gavin Cowan vowed Shrewsbury Town would be hard to beat, and in his first match in charge, they were exactly that.
A goalless draw with in-form Barnet may not have glittered, but it represented a vital building block for Town. More importantly, it offered early evidence that Cowan’s core promise of organisation, resilience and graft is one he intends to keep.
Although there was excitement around the ground ahead of kick-off, there would also have been inevitable butterflies for Cowan as he prepared to take charge of his first match.
He ended the afternoon warmly appreciated by the Salop supporters. While Town did not set the world alight, it was a solid, disciplined performance and a crucial point with which to begin a new era.
Cowan became the ninth former Shrewsbury player to take charge of the club. Alongside him in the technical area were former Salop youth player Jamie Haynes and Town favourite Dave Edwards.
It felt something of a Shrewsbury reunion, with friends Jamie Tolley and Sam Aiston analysing and watching on from the stands.
Aiston - who made more than 160 appearances for Salop between 2000 and 2005 - is the only member of the In The Stiffs podcast not to join the new coaching set-up.
Cowan emerged from the tunnel to a warm reception before taking his place in the dugout, ironically sponsored by his own podcast.
Town entered the contest having lost six of their previous seven league matches. Appointed just two days earlier, Cowan had little time to prepare with his staff as they sought immediate buy-in from the players.
What followed was not expansive or pulse-raising football, but something far more necessary - control without the ball.
