Defender sees the positives following Kilmarnock performance
One of Shrewsbury Town's 16 summer signings says the team spirit and togetherness within Micky Mellon's new look side is already coming together.
With the League Two season less than a fortnight away, defender Mark Ellis says there's a positive feeling within the club and felt Saturday's goalless draw with Kilmarnock at the Greenhous Meadow was another step in the right direction.
"Everyone wants to do well for themselves and the club," said the former Crewe and Torquay stopper. "At times it looks like we've been together for a few years."
Ellis admitted the hot weather meant Town's performance dropped off in the second half against their Scottish Premier League opponents but he was pleased with another clean sheet, Shrewsbury's second in pre-season.
"We did well considering the conditions, keeping the ball and moving it," he said. "We've had a tough week in training and it showed in the second half when we got a bit leggy.
"We could have won the game, but it's another clean sheet even though it doesn't count for anything at the moment. It's more important when we start the league matches and we want to keep as many clean sheets as we can this season."
Mellon's extensive summer recruitment means there's competition for places within all areas of the squad, with the likes of Ellis, Nathaniel Knight-Percival, Connor Goldson and Jermaine Grandison competing for a place in the heart of Town's defence.
"Everybody wants to have that jersey at the start of the season - I think it's going to be tough for the gaffer to pick a starting XI," said Ellis, who is now preparing for Shrewsbury's remaining pre-season games away at non-leaguers Kidderminster on Tuesday and then Altrincham on Friday.