Paul Parry his early strike was goalbound
By Matt Johnson
Summer signing Paul Parry sounded Town’s arrival in League One with a deadly fourth minute blow as Preston became yet another Greenhous Meadow victim.
The Welshman’s unstoppable 20-yarder was enough to seal all three points in Shrewsbury’s inaugural home match of the season and it’s a start that he thinks may set the tone for another successful campaign on home soil.
“The first win is always the hardest to get,” said Parry. “We’ve got it and hopefully we can use the success that the club got at home last season to continue on in good stead this year and who knows where that’ll take us.
“It was a good delivery on the free-kick from Wrighty and it was sort of half headed out to the edge of the box and it sat up nicely and I caught it well. As soon as I hit it I knew it was going in and I’ve put my head up and seen it’s flown into the top corner, so I’ll take that! They don’t come around very often but hopefully I’ll chip in with the odd few this year.”
It couldn’t have been scripted any better for Parry – scoring the winner against his former employers in his first showcase in front of his new supporters and it’s a start that he hopes will continue to grow stronger throughout the season.
“Of course it’s nice to score against your old club, but I tried not to celebrate too much because I had a good rapport with the fans there and they gave me a good reception but behind closed doors I was secretly celebrating.
“There is a lot of belief in that changing room and ability too. Even on Saturday we put in a good performance but we didn’t get the rub of the green and we were unfortunate not to come away with any points but if we keep believing and keep performing then I’m sure we’ll be in for a decent season.”
As Town fans will know all too well, much of that success will have to come at home, with Fortress Meadow’s unbeaten run now stretched to 33. With Tranmere to visit on Saturday, the games come thick and fast and Parry is hoping that home form can once again be the bedrock of a flourishing campaign.
“What a success it was last year [unbeaten at home]. To be fair, it’s what any club needs to do if they’re going to have a successful season and as long as we can keep continuing to do that and pick up what we can on the road then who knows where it’ll take us.
“Tranmere have started well, but they’re coming to the fortress aren’t they! So if our home form continues then hopefully we’ll get the right result.”