Marcus takes a look backwards and forwards in his weekly update
It's Monday again and I was hoping that we'd be a couple of better off, maybe in mid-table but Football is a frustrating business and sometimes you don't get what you feel you should have. I don't wish to seem overly critical but we gifted the two Gillingham two goals and therefore the point, leaving us feeling disappointed. One silver lining is that we have a manager who can see why those problems occurred and it's difficult to disagree with John Askey when he says,“I’m disappointed, angry and all of the other emotions you would expect, we did so well to get ourselves back into the game and score late on.
“It’s a game that we should have won. I spoke about playing with desire and aggression and sadly their goal came from us not showing enough aggression and not enough nous.”.
“When you’re a goal up with three minutes to go, it’s not good enough. It’s not through lack of ability, it’s not through tactics or anything like that – it comes down to desire and the will to win.
“Sadly in that last minute we were lacking.”
As I've said, I can't disagree with any of that and it's difficult for a supporter like me to understand where the promise of the earlier games has gone.
With all of that said, there were still some promise on display in a game where we at least got something, even if it was two points less than we wanted. Shaun Whalley's usual hard working performance was again in evidence, Anthony Grant continues to look like a great addition, one that we may have missed when he was substituted and it was good to see Oliver Norburn get his first goal in amber and blue.
If John Askey is looking to change things a little this week, he does have options, as shown by the Town XI that beat Burton 2-1 in midweek in a friendly game played behind closed doors. Charlie Colkett and Fejiri Okenabirhie provided the goals to enable a comeback from a goal down.
Fortunately, Town have an opportunity to forget last weekend quickly with a game at Walsall on Tuesday night, followed by a home game against Accrington. Walsall and Accrington occupy 7th and 8th place at the moment and will both pose a difficult challenge.
The under 18 team lost 2-1 at Wigan on Saturday with the home team scoring two second half goals after Town had had to replace their goalkeeper Jack Atkinson with 15 year old Jaden Bevan after 20 minutes. Wigan have scored in every game they've played and Bevan did well to keep them out until the 65th minute. Town pulled one back in the Dan Walker who put away Reiss Cornfield's excellent cross but it was too little too late as Wigan's defence denied further chances.
The youth team are away again next weekend, visiting Doncaster Rovers in the EFL Youth Alliance Cup.
Off the pitch, Company Secretary David Parry retired last week with a dinner to celebrate 22 years’ service to Shrewsbury Town. Chairman Roland Wycherley presented David with a life membership of the club as well as commemorative glassware.