Goalless draw does little to alleviate Steven Pressley's relegation worries
ByPA Sport
Published 07/02/2016 at 18:24 GMT
Fleetwood manager Steven Pressley was left frustrated after his side failed to climb out of the relegation zone following a 0-0 draw with fellow Sky Bet League One strugglers Shrewsbury.
Steven Pressley's side have drawn three of their past four games
Image credit: PA Sport
Fleetwood manager Steven Pressley was left frustrated after his side failed to climb out of the relegation zone following a 0-0 draw with fellow Sky Bet League One strugglers Shrewsbury.
Neither side did their survival hopes any favours in a tight battle, which failed to relieve any of the mounting pressure on either side.
Pressley's side, for whom David Ball went close in the first half, remain one point from safety after a run of four games without a win.
Chances were limited in a first half which served to highlight the problems of both sides, with Shaun Whalley firing wide for Shrewsbury after Chris Maxwell parried into his path.
Abu Ogogo should have sealed it for the visitors, arriving at pace with the ball bouncing free in the Fleetwood box but somehow fired over, leaving Pressley frustrated with the inability of his young players to get the job done.
"I'm disappointed," he said. "I spoke beforehand about the need to win the game.
"I think it was there for all too see how devastated the squad is at the moment.
"We're missing a lot of players and I had to accommodate that by playing Conor McLaughlin further up the pitch.
"We had to make a number of changes, we missed four regular players.
"We've asked a lot of our young players, b ut in reflection I must say they need to grow up quickly. They need to understand the importance of these games, the importance of small details, the importance of responsibility.
"At this moment in time we're fighting for our lives and it's important we all realise that.
"In chances it's a point gained, they had two or three big moments.
"In terms of territorial advantage we probably had that but didn't create enough, i t's a lesson to our young players about the importance of real football."
Shrews' manager Micky Mellon was disappointed not to take three points on his return to Highbury.
He said: "I think if we're all honest and I always try to be, it should have been three points. We should have won it comfortably the amount of goalscoring, clear cut chances we created.
"But on the flip-side of that the performance as a whole I couldn't fault, other than not putting the ball in the net.
"There were plenty of chances, I'd have to watch it back to remember them all, b ut I think the one at the end was the closest, I think it's a fantastic one.
"The important thing is we're creating chances, we're looking a threat, we're organised and very together. We're heading in the right direction, we want to keep improving.
"You've seen what they are capable of.
"We've told them the standard needed to keep clean sheets at this level and they matched that today."
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