Accrington Stanley boss John Coleman on Shrewsbury win

It was the Reds' first triumph in six league games against a promotion-chasing Shrewsbury side whose six wins in their previous seven had propelled them up to eighth place.

Stanley’s winner came after 13 minutes when Rosaire Longelo’s right-wing cross was swept home by Brentford loan striker Aaron Pressley, his second Stanley league goal.

John Coleman's men came close to a second after 32 minutes when, from another Longelo cross, former Shrew Shaun Whalley headed against the post.

The closest the Shrews came in the first half was after 40 minutes when Ryan Bowman was clean through but goalkeeper Lukas Jensen denied him – their first shot of the game.

Shrews boss Steve Cotterill made a double substitution at half-time and, within two minutes, one of the substitute’s Rekeil Pyke hit the top of the crossbar with a strike.

The Shrews pressed for an equaliser in the second half but suffered their first league defeat since January 1 while Stanley moved out of the bottom four.

Coleman said: “I would have liked to attack more but you can tell the nerves in the players, you can tell what it means to them.

“We could have passed the ball better but you have to give Shrewsbury credit, they threw everyone forward and, at the end, they were playing with seven forwards and we got pinned in for periods.

“Lukas (Jensen) made a couple of great saves which you need to win games. That’s sometimes the difference and you need a bit of luck along the way.

“I am pleased the players got the rewards for their efforts but it’s one swallow and we can’t get carried away.

“There is no point getting a win if you are just going to go on another run of losses. You have to keep your pedal to the metal and try and eek out results and try and get another 20-odd points that we need.

“There were some big performances, the inexperience of Baba Fernandes and Mo Sangare playing centre halves, they put a shift in and I am pleased for them to get a clean sheet.”