By Sam Morris
Jermaine Grandison was the matchwinner this afternoon at the Greenhous Meadow as Shrewsbury Town saw off Southend United by two goals to one to close the gap on the top three in League Two.
Town had to work exceptionally hard for the whole game to get the win, but Grandison was delighted with the performance and ultimately the result.
"It is great to get the three points, especially with ten men against the league leaders. I am really pleased with that as are all the lads in the dressing room and it was the least we deserved" said the former Coventry City player.
Town had a couple of setbacks during the afternoon, firstly seeing Marvin Morgan dismissed for an innocuous challenge in the first half and then Shane Cansdell-Sherriff being carried off on a stretcher with a dislocated shoulder.
Both incidents meant that Town had to reorganise but to all watching, it didn't seem to affect the side and Grandison was ecstatic to see the game out with ten men and the tactical changes.
"I think once Shane went off the lads stayed focussed and kept our shape and worked hard for each other. We had to work hard to get the win but we kept going and it paid off."
Grandison scored the deciding goal towards the end of the game with a towering header from a Matt Richards corner and the defender was over the moon to get a goal.
"It was a really good day for me. I was full of confidence going into today even though I have been suffering with sore knees and I was really looking forward to this game and to score the winner is just unbelievable.
"It was a great header even if I say so myself. It is my first league goal and obviously first for Shrewsbury so it was a great moment and I loved it!
"Every time I go onto the pitch I just want to do as well as I can for Shrewsbury Town and improve personally."
The Town fans inside the Greenhous Meadow made an excellent atmosphere throughout the game, really getting behind the team and Grandison was quick to acknowledge the help this support gave the team.
"The fans were amazing. Even at 1-1 they stuck with us and when we scored the second they went mental and they deserved it. They helped us loads today."
The win over Southend further extends Town's unbeaten home record, something Grandison is proud of and keen to extend even further as the team look to secure that elusive automatic promotion spot.
"I think here everyone is full of confidence. We have a great record here and we don't fear anybody as today showed. We need to keep the form rolling and teams will fear coming here.
"We are hunting down that top three."
