Sam Stubbs urges caution despite big step towards safety for Shrewsbury Town

Sam Stubbs insisted Shrewsbury Town would be “daft and naive” to think their job is done after taking a big step towards safety.

Stubbs’ second-half header against Tranmere Rovers secured a seventh win in 14 games under Gavin Cowan and provided a huge boost in Salop’s quest to retain their Football League status.

Town sit 11 points clear of the League Two relegation zone with five games remaining - but goal hero Stubbs made it clear their task is far from complete.

Asked about the gap to danger, Stubbs said: “It may be a surprise, it may not be, but it's not something we've massively spoken about.

“As players you probably speak about it a little bit more, but for the manager and the staff, it's very much the process and what we can do.

“We can't affect the teams around us or the teams below us. I think it would be a bit daft and naive to get ahead of ourselves.

“Until it's mathematically done, it's not done. Especially in this league, you get some bizarre results towards the end in terms of the top of the table.

“Boys fall off and there's always someone who comes from nowhere, someone gets themselves out of it.

“Everyone's on different games, so it's not really a true reflection. We'll just go again on Tuesday, do the processes, recover and go and try and win a game of football.”

With the win over struggling Tranmere, Town avoided suffering a fifth consecutive league defeat for the first time since August 2021, as well as a run of five straight losses without scoring - something that has not happened since September 1998.

There was huge jeopardy in last Friday’s clash. A defeat could have dragged Salop closer to the survival battle and allowed Tranmere to close the gap below them.

Instead, they came through it, and the mood was high at full-time as Cowan and his players celebrated with a lap of the pitch alongside jubilant home supporters.

Stubbs said of the mood: “A bit of relief - the music's on. It's not done.

“It was a big game. You don't realise until you actually win it, how big it is, and you look at the results and the table.

“So, relief, happiness, and then probably a bit of eagerness - when you win a game of football, you want to play as soon as possible.”

The clean sheet was Salop’s first since their victory at Accrington Stanley in February.

They now travel to face league leaders Bromley on Tuesday night, who are winless in two matches, with the game selected for TV coverage.

Stubbs added: “On a personal note, I’m obviously happy with the result and the goal, but I thought the clean sheet was something we deserved in the last few weeks.”