Assistant Manager reflects on the friendly at the New Bucks Head
Shrewsbury Town’s penultimate away pre-season friendly ended in a 2-1 victory for Askey’s men away at AFC Telford United.
On the score sheet were Arthur Gnahoua and Fejiri Okenabirhie as Town came back to secure victory from being a goal down at The New Bucks Head.
Assistant Manager John Filan was pleased his side got the win and is encouraged by the game that he saw.
“It was a really useful exercise for us,” Filan said. “Obviously it’s great to win games. We go out in every game trying to win the game.
“There were some aspects that were very pleasing and the pitch was very good so we could play football on it.
“In the end, realistically we should have won by a few more goals.
“In the process of coming up to the start of the season we have tried a few different things and some different players and it has taught us a lot and we have seen a lot.”
Filan was also pleased that his teams class started to show as the game went further against the lower league placed side.
“When you play teams from a higher divisions you get a lift in the first 20 minute,” Askey;s assistant said.
“We expected that, they got the ball and crashed it forward early on and tried to win battles.
“Our lads stood up to it. We conceded early from a set play, which we don’t like to do but they’re aspects we are working on towards the start of the season.
“We wanted to see how the players react from going one down and that was one pleasing element from it.
“The lads got the ball down, worked hard with and without the ball.
“We hit the bar twice so our dominance was evident and I think some of the lads were disappointed not to get any goals”
Town next face Port Vale away at Vale Park as Askey as one last look at his team ahead of the new season.