Shrewsbury Town

Marcus Braddock takes his weekly look back and forward at events at the Montgomery Waters Meadow

OK, so the run is over. I'd hoped it could last forever, which comes from the same part of me that also believes we can win the Premier League one day - it's technically possible but ludicrously unlikely.

As I look back over the last few months and our excellent performances I want to say thank you to everyone involved, you've made many people sit up and take notice of our football club and made us all very proud.

There is a part of me that worries that we still need another four or five wins to keep us out of the relegation zone. It might seem unlikely that we will be troubled in that direction but until those points are on the board it's still an uncertainty, so hopefully we can find those wins soon.

Looking back at the goal that beat us, it was an audacious strike from Marcus Madison. When you look back at the goals we've conceded, there have been some very good ones from distance, the goal in the Walsall game and the one in the Plymouth game stick in my mind. I think it speaks volumes about our defensive capabilities that teams often have to do something quite special to get anything from us.

I was apprehensive about missing Junior Brown and Mat Sadler but I thought they dealt with their challenges competently and apart from the wonder goal they kept a clean sheet. You're always going to miss players like Brown and Sadler but both Joe Riley and Omar Beckles are more than able replacements. Hopefully they'll both be part of our next good run of form.

This week saw Paul Hurst celebrate a full year as Shrewsbury Town manager and it's been rather good so far. He's taken a team limping toward relegation and turned them into one with purpose, tenacity and industry. An incredible turnaround that has surprised literally everybody!

Looking ahead to next weekend, we have a break from League One with the visit of Aldershot of the National League. They sit just one point and two places below the play-off positions and will be hoping to cause an upset but like us, they lost at the weekend after a decent unbeaten run.

On Sunday afternoon, Shrewsbury Town Ladies won 5-0 at home to Brereton Town Ladies with the seemingly unstoppable Katie Doster scoring a brace. Next weekend the Ladies are away to Staffordshire based Bilbrook F.C.

The Under 18 team lost 2-1 away to Bury on Saturday and face Evesham United away in the FA Youth Cup on Wednesday night before taking on Wrexham at Shrewsbury Sports Village on Saturday morning at 11am

COYB!!!