‘The numbers are there’: Will Boyle backs himself to deliver more goals for Shrewsbury Town

Will Boyle has proved to be one of Shrewsbury Town’s biggest threats in front of goal.

Goals were in short supply last season, with Shrewsbury ending the campaign as League Two’s second-lowest scorers.

And it has been a similar story at the start of this season, with Town scoring just twice in their opening five league games. Boyle netted the winner against Salford City at the Meadow.

The central defender ended last term as Town’s joint-top league scorer with four goals, and the Salop skipper is hoping he can continue to provide a threat throughout the new campaign.

“This is me being completely unbiased and I’d be sitting here saying it if it was someone else as well, it’s something I’ve done throughout my whole career really,” Boyle told the star.

“If you look back, the numbers are there and the numbers could be a lot more as well.

“It’s something I’ve just probably, from a kid, I’ve just had the knack of being able to be in the right place at the right time and it is ultimately a desire really to want to try and get on the end of things in the opposition boxes. I think it’s massive at our level.”

Boyle may well have had more than one goal this season had his controversial effort against Barnet been awarded.

The 31-year-old appeared to have headed home, with the ball seemingly crossing the line, but the goal was not given.

“You’re bringing it back up, I’ll try to let that one go from memory,” Boyle laughed.

“I saw there was a photo going around, but it wasn’t too clear for me, obviously they were zooming in, but I felt it was over the line on the day. And Coxy (Matt Cox), without clearly admitting, as much did to me almost.

“That was a shame. They’re sort of moments, that’s a moment that went against us and we were well in the ascendancy in that game at that point.

“They’re the moments that we need to flip. I should have put it in the back of the net to take any doubt away from it, but they’re the things that we need to get going our way. I believe wholeheartedly that we will.”

Set-piece goals were a key part of Town’s turnaround during the second half of last season, with dead-ball situations playing an important role in their survival.

Boyle believes they will remain a major weapon for Town this season.

He said: “Over a prolonged period of time, I think at this level set pieces will make up a decent percentage of goals scored, whether that be first contact or second phase, third phases, I think a lot of goals at our level will be scored from set pieces.

“For every club up and down the country it’s massive.”

Boyle, who was handed the captaincy this summer, has been one of the more consistent performers during a difficult start to the new season for Salop.

While he has been satisfied with his own performances, the skipper insists his focus remains on the team’s results.

“Yes, but ultimately I’m defining it as a collective now,” he said.

“We have to look at the underlying stuff, ultimately it is the results.”