After a picking up four points from two tough away games at Exeter and Peterborough, a hard-fought 1-0 win over a resolute Shrewsbury side ensured that the O’s continue to build on the momentum generated over the last few weeks. It was far from being a scintillating performance, but as is often said: toughing out a result is sometimes just as important, (if not more so), as winning convincingly.

Once again, we went with the same team and system that had done so well in the previous two league matches. However unlike in those two encounters we didn’t start on the front foot, instead it was Shrewsbury who took the game to us and in fact the visitors had a couple of decent early chances only to be denied by the sharp reactions of Sol Brynn in our goal.

After that we seemed to settle down a little bit and in almost a mirror image of what had happened at Exter and Peterborough it was us that opened the scoring. El Miz poked the ball through into the penalty area and Ruel Sotiriou rifled home his fourth goal of the season. Did we deserve it? Possibly not, but as we have found to our cost on a number of occasions so far this season, you need to take your chances when they come along.

Shrewsbury had an excellent opportunity to restore parity almost immediately, but Daniel Udoh fired across the face of goal when really he should have hit the target, and It was a relieved home crowd as we went into the break a goal to the good.

The second half was one of few chances and we stuck to our task for the most part, although Brynn did have to be alert to turn away a header at his near post. In the end we secured another decent enough three points.

Based on his comments in his post-match interview, it is probably fair to say that Richie wasn’t overly enamoured with the performance we put in, suggesting: “We were nowhere near as smooth as what I want, maybe it’s my fault as we have played longer in the last two games…we tried to play a little bit more today, but we weren’t smooth, we weren’t as cohesive.”

We may not have been, but a return of seven points from the last nine available does suggest that we are turning a corner in the way we are adapting to the demands of League 1 and the different challenges that playing at this level brings. Equally the way we dealt with a more direct team, one that Richie compared to being a bit like our old friends Stevenage, bodes well in the way that we appear to be learning our lessons.

Intriguingly, with a squad that is approaching full fitness with the exception of long-term absentees Adam Thompson and Dan Agyei, there was no room in the matchday squad for players of the calibre of Ed Turns and Jayden Sweeney, while the likes of: Aaron Drinan, Rob Hunt, Dan Happe, Jordan Brown, Shaq Forde, and Ethan Galbraith had to be content with a place on the bench. That is not even to mention Max Sanders who has looked, his error against Fulham U-21’s aside, a neat and tidy enough central midfield option in his limited time on the pitch.

The current set up is the one that has allowed us to respond to that frustrating defeat by Stevenage so well, but personally I think there are still a number of questions around how we become even more effective. Starting from the front of the team: Joe Piggot, despite his much-needed goal at Exeter, has struggled to make too much of an impact in the central striking role. There is a definite argument that he isn’t really a target man, but if he doesn’t play centrally would he be the first choice in the wide positions in the 3-4-3 that we seem to have, at least for now, settled upon?

The current incumbents nominally operating from the wings are George Moncur and Ruel Sotiriou, is Pigott an effective enough option to displace either of them? The latter’s goals (half of our total to date!) should ensure his involvement at least for the next few matches, while if Moncs was to make way, for me it would likely be for Galbraith coming in or Jordan Graham moving forward from wing-back to play as a more orthodox wide man.

If Richie were to decide that Graham’s excellent crossing ability merited a role higher up the pitch, the most likely change might be for TJ to move into his more preferred wider defensive position with perhaps Brandon Cooper moving to the right hand side of Omar with an opportunity for either Dan Happe or Ed Turns to fill the left centre back spot.

As good as Jayden Sweeney was going forward last season, if Ruel is to keep his place it would seem unlikely that Archie would be left out of the side. In the middle of the park, the reintroduction of Darren Pratley has added the steel and bite that was so evidently lacking against Stevenage, with Jordan Brown an effective understudy/ replacement for the skipper either later in a game or if he needs a breather. Whilst, as we have said before, El Miz is as nailed-on a starter as there is. These are exciting selection dilemmas for the gaffer to have, but tweaking the team just a little bit might be the key to getting it fully firing on all cylinders.

Next up we face Fleetwood back up on the North West coast where we were a month and a half ago. The Cod Army have struggled so far this season, parting ways with manager Scott Brown after picking up just one point from their opening six matches. Since then they have lost 3-0 at home to Oxford and managed a draw away at Burton last Saturday. Of course we should take absolutely nothing for granted, but this feels like a game that we really should be looking to take maximum points from and to keep building upon our recent form.

After that there are two home games in quick succession against Lincoln on Tuesday evening, a side that has had a similar start to us, and then ongoing crisis club Reading. As we said before, it feels as if the O’s have started to turn a corner and a decent points return from these next three matches would do a lot to reinforce that position. Here’s hoping!

Up the O’s!