Ollie Westbury analysis: Signs of improvement but Shrewsbury still come up short

There is still so much time left this season and one victory would see them fly up the table – but where that win is coming from looks to be the biggest challenge.

Town were much improved in this game. Their performance levels were good, especially in the first half.

They created numerous chances, none of which were absolutely clear-cut, but there were several promising positions and they just could not manage to finish them off.

They were good value for a point, at the least, against a Charlton team, that were well below par for the majority of the clash.

On that basis, and given the calibre of the division this season, it feels like it could be an opportunity missed by Hurst’s team.

The big talking point from the game was the absence of loanee Tommi O’Reilly.

The Aston Villa man, who made his temporary switch to Shropshire in the summer, has had a bright start to the season, getting an assist in his last start at the Meadow.

But he was left out last week against Wrexham, and he was left out again on Saturday.

When Town were chasing the game in the second period it looked like it was crying out for a player with his creativity to try to get Salop back into the game.

But strangely, the head coach decided against it. Tom Bloxham had come on and scored a brace two weeks earlier from the bench – he got the nod along with Jordan Shipley.

Arguably, the decision did not alter the outcome of the game, but it seemed a little odd.

One of the most disappointing things was the way Town conceded again. They have made it a habit to give goals away this season and it was no different here.

When things are not going your way you need to make sure you do the basics well, so conceding from a corner is not ideal – especially when they were the better side.

Salop started the game slowly and Conor Coventry went very close to giving the visitors the lead when he fired inches wide from outside the box.

But Town grew in confidence and began to use the ball better. Charles Sagoe Jr, making his first league start, was a threat down the left side and Leo Castledine was heavily involved, too.

The Chelsea loanee had two opportunities to give Salop the lead within minutes of each other.

They both came from Mal Benning’s crosses on the left side. The first he poked wide, and the second, he headed over the bar.

It was a positive first half from Hurst’s men as they had 59 per cent of possession – George Lloyd playing up against three centre-backs stood out.

Town also saw appeals for a penalty waved away by referee Sebastian Stocksbridge after Sagoe Jr was bundled over in the box.

Former Town loan star Greg Docherty saw a deflected effort go wide at the end of the half, but the visitors were well below par in the first period. But within three minutes of the restart, Charlton led.

Gassan Ahadme scored from a deep set-piece, which was headed back across goal by Lloyd Jones, not dealt with by the Salop defence, before being turned home from close range.

After such a promising first-half display it was a big blow for Town.

But Hurst’s side continued to create chances. Lloyd headed over from Alex Gilliead’s cross, while the impressive Castledine saw his third effort of the afternoon claimed by Will Mannion.

Morgan Feeney saw an effort blocked by the keeper from a tight angle, while substitute Daniel Kanu saw a left-footed striker land on the roof of Toby Savin’s net.

Hurst went to his bench in an attempt to get a late equaliser, and both John Marquis and Shipley came into the action, but if anything, they made them less effective.

Charlton boss Nathan Jones recognised his side were far from their best and had really been put through their paces by Town – he described it as an ‘ugly win’.

“When you play like that you’ve got to make sure that you win,” he said.

“It was an ugly win, a win where you have just got to dig in and keep a clean sheet and hope that you nick another goal, because we had some good chances second half.

“We were poor first half, but had real good situations where we didn’t show a bit of quality, and then second half we started like a house on fire, really took the game to them and stepped on to them and that is when we were better.”