Sam Ricketts reflects on Town's victory today at Bloomfield Road. Town take home another three points making it back to back wins and only two points off a play-off place.
Sam gives his reaction. "Obviously I'm delighted with the three points. It's a really hard place to come, I was reading in the programme before the game that they've won seven out of their last eight here so we know it's a hard place and as a player the pitch is ok, it's tight, and it's not the best.
I've always struggled to get a real good game of football here with it being a bit of a grind and a bit of a battle, but for a side which are potent going forward, we nullified them. We're a hard team to play against, coming here today you speak to their staff, and you see things in the programme, and they're giving us a lot of credit for what we're doing this year, so that's nice."
Town have gained another clean sheet today, and they are racking up many of them. "You need to be able to defend, and you need to defend against one of the best forwards in the league who's on a good run, he's got height and power. They tried to get an awful lot of balls in the box, but we nullified that. I don't think Max had a save to make today.
Obviously, we scored the penalty, Shaun Whalley had the next best chance of the game going one on one. I was really pleased with the professional and controlled performance."
Shrewsbury were on the right side of receiving a penalty today after a handball against Gnanduillet was given. "It's about time. We should've had three or four this year, and finally, we do get one for handball. There was a big claim in the first half, you can tell off the player's reaction that it was a clear handball and it didn't get given. Finally, something ticks over our way, and we get a penalty, and I'm delighted for Fey to take it and score."
Okenabirhie smashed his penalty straight past Jak Alnwick right in front of the home supporters. "He is a very good penalty taker; he's taken a number of penalties since I've been at the club. It's just strange as to why we haven't had more this year, hopefully, that will be the first of many. He's one of those players you don't doubt when you have a penalty."
Sam had to make a various amount of changes today as Ollie Norburn was suspended, Jason Cummings missed the game through illness, and Brad Walker was also among the starting 11 today.
"We picked a team for the conditions of the game and Omar come in as well. I thought Brad and Omar come in and did very well. Shaun came into the starting line-up as well, he's a very good player."
Sam praises the supporters that made the journey to Bloomfield Road. "I looked across before the game, and I just saw how many made the journey, and it was a fantastic turnout, and we've hopefully sent them home happy with back to back wins going into Christmas."