Paul Hurst salutes Shrewsbury after sealing return to top spot

Posted Sunday, March 25, 2018 by PA

Paul Hurst saluted his Shrewsbury side after Stefan Payne’s goal secured a 1-0 win over AFC Wimbledon to seal a return to the top of Sky Bet League One.

Payne struck nine minutes into the second half to wrap up another hard-earned victory, which came after Bryn Morris was sent off late on for the hosts.

Speaking about being top of the table, Hurst said: “We’d have taken it at the start of the season, wouldn’t we?

“All we can do is try and take care of our own business, which we’ve done, and if that adds a little bit of pressure elsewhere then great, but ultimately one thing we can control is our results and that’s yet another victory.

“It adds to the points total which is – forget where you are in the league, just to have that many points – some achievement from a group of players that weren’t supposed to be anywhere close to where we are, so credit to them.”

Top scorer Payne took his goal tally for the season to 13 in all competitions when he fired a low shot past Dons goalkeeper George Long from close range.

Shrewsbury were reduced to 10 men for the last five minutes when midfielder Morris received a second yellow card.

But they managed to hold out as goalkeeper Craig MacGillivray, deputising with Dean Henderson on England Under-21 duty, keeping a clean sheet.

Hurst said: “The most important thing is we won the game; another clean sheet and I’m pleased for Craig to come in and do that.

“He made one good save early on, a couple of other bits of good handling, but thankfully (he was) not too busy on the day.

“It might not have been for too long but to finish the game with 10 men as well and see it through, much credit to the players for another big effort.”

The defeat means AFC Wimbledon are just two points clear of the relegation zone.

Liam Trotter and Lyle Taylor both forced saves from MacGillivray as the London side were edged out.

Dons manager Neal Ardley said: “It was a good performance. They did everything I asked them to do.

“They worked their socks off and, but for a 10-minute spell at the start of the second half when they got a little bit on top, I didn’t think there was much between the teams and we had some good moments as well.

“We worked hard, we defended well together as a team and I’ve just said to them, bar that 10-minute spell when we were under a bit of pressure, there was nothing between the teams.

“If we play like that with that determination and that energy and that defensive resilience then we’ll be all right.”