Ricketts celebrates overdue win

Posted Sunday, February 23, 2020 by PA

Sam Ricketts was relieved after Shrewsbury rewarded their fans’ faith with a first win of 2020, 1-0 against Doncaster.

Captain Dave Edwards, who played alongside manager Ricketts for Wolves and Wales earlier in his career, headed home the game’s only goal in the 76th minute.

“Obviously, we want to win every game we go into,” said Ricketts, who handed a debut to former Hibernian midfielder Josh Vela. “It’s been great to have a week to work with the team and try and get ourselves ready for today.

“The players have showed the same grit and determination they’ve showed through this really rough run, but today they got their rewards for it.

“We’re all involved in football to win games. The staff and the players are fully knowing where we are and what we’re trying to do – and the supporters are as well.

“I’ve had some great messages this week. Cards, letters from the supporters writing in wishing us well and giving us their full backing and that’s what it’s about. I appreciate that and I appreciate everyone’s support.”

Edwards rewarded Ricketts’ tactical shift when he headed in an inviting cross from Callum Lang to earn Shrewsbury a first league win since a 1-0 victory at Blackpool on December 21.

Ricketts said: “We just had to move him a little bit higher, so it was great for him to get in there and score that winning goal.”

Conor McAleny earlier had a shot well saved by Doncaster goalkeeper Seny Dieng before Aaron Pierre’s volley was deflected wide as Shrewsbury chased a breakthrough.

But Doncaster always carried a threat, with Ben Whiteman’s curling effort well kept out by goalkeeper Max O’Leary before Jacob Ramsey drove a shot against a post.

Defeat leaves Doncaster in 11th place, six points adrift of the play-offs.

“Just a scrappy game, blustery conditions,” said Doncaster manager Darren Moore.

“(I’m) disappointed and looking at the game we didn’t deserve to win the game today, so what we got was nothing today because I didn’t think we were right today in terms of on the ball. We just didn’t do enough really to win the game.

“They went man for man on us and sort of stopped us doing anything we wanted to do, but we just didn’t have enough guile and cleverness.

“We had the chances but we didn’t show that ruthless enough approach in the final third really to get on the end of things today and then we switch off midway through the latter parts of the game and we concede a sloppy goal from our point of view.”