Paterson Tames the Shrews

By: Robert Salt
Date: 09/12/2006

THE Mariners won for the third game in a row this afternoon at home to Shrewsbury. However, apart from the Town goal the first half made us all wish we were Xmas shopping with the Missus.

Town started kicking towards the away end against Shrewsbury this afternoon looking for their third win on the trot. Manager Alan Buckley kept with the same staring line up that won at Barnet in the week, meaning Ricky Ravenhill started in midfield as Paul Bolland remained injured.

Shrewsbury had made it clear from the start that they wanted to come for the point and played with an extra man in midfield. Both teams seemed intent on playing long and high balls, quite in contrast to recent Town matches. However, Town were at least trying to get the ball on the ground and play a bit.

The beginning of the match seemed very stop-start with most of the footballs either being cleared out of the ground or getting stuck on the stands roofs, from both teams. In terms of excitement the first 45 mins were pretty poor and lacklustre, the only decent move of the first half resulted in Town taking the lead. Good work in midfield saw the ball played wide right and it was then passed inside then passed to the left where Martin Paterson was free. The on-loan Stoke striker had time to control the ball and place it wide of the keeper in the bottom corner. However there was a little bit of luck with a slight deflection off a Shrews player to help it on its way. The move was a lot better than the actual finish, but Paterson to his credit was in the right place at the right time.

As the second half started it was clear both managers had told their teams exactly what they thought of the first half, with Paterson breaking through and almost putting Town 2-0 up.

The ball was staying on the ground and there was a lot more play and passing, the majority of this coming from Town.

Paterson was looking lively up front, Gary Jones was holding the ball up well and wining almost everything. He even tried a Ronaldhino type run beating players and almost getting a shot on goal.

Both centre backs looked solid, and what little Barnes had to do he performed very well. But with only one goal in it the opposition have always got a chance and so it was proved.

Firstly a low long range effort from Asamoah hit the inside of the Town post and spun out and then curled wide of the other post for a goal kick, a quite bizarre incident that it took some believing that that is what we had witnessed.

Shortly afterwards the ball was crossed from the right into the Town box along the floor, with Barnes, our defenders and Shrews players all getting involved in a goalmouth scramble; somehow the ball ended up in the Town net via Symes.

For a short while after that Shrewsbury’s confidence was high and they could have stolen the lead but for a good save from Barnes.

However Town regained the initiative and after some good play saw Paterson smack a 25 yarder low into the Shrews goal, to make it 2-1. The 'keeper being slightly blinded to see Paterson’s effort.

Town held on and tried to push for the third goal as the game was becoming ill-tempered and the final whistle was greeted with delight and talk of play-off’s from the fans on the way out - another trip to Cardiff could be in the offing?

MOM: Martin Paterson, never stopped running, scored twice and full of commitment and rapidly becoming a hero

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