Shaw keeping the faith despite latest TV horror show

Striker Jon Shaw believes his side can still be considered serious title contenders despite another TV horror show at Newport County on Tuesday night. writes Mike Simmonds.

Town could have gone one point off top spot with victory, but instead ending up falling six points behind the Exiles, who returned to the summit, by hammering Luton 5-2.

Hatters’ last televised clash saw them battered 4-1 at Grimsby as Shaw said: “We’ve had two results on TV at places where we’re supposed to be challenging for titles and have come away on the back of heavy defeats.

“It’s not how we’re going to show people we’re going to win the league, but we’ll go back and work hard.

“We’ve got an honest bunch of lads, it’s a saying that’s banded about a lot, but it’s one of the most honest bunch of lads I’ve worked with.

“Our aim is to win the league. Results like this are disappointing, but the next four, five games are important to see where we are at the start of January.

“We’ve still got a game in hand, still in touch, so it’s not panic stations at the moment.

“If we win in the cup (at Matlock on Saturday) and go on and win our next two or three league games, people will forget about this, although in our hearts, we will never forget about it.”

Shaw himself was back on the scoresheet in the league with a clinical strike on the hour.

It came from the sort of service he thrived on at Gateshead last year, as he swivelled to fire Ronnie Henry’s perfect cross into the net.

The striker has been employed in a deeper role this season, so was delighted to be the focal point after taking to the field for the second half.

He continued: “The last four, five weeks the formation has changed.

“We’re getting more into the wide areas and getting balls in.

“I’ve been injured, so it’s been frustrating to watch on the sidelines.

“It was good to get in there, and it’s where I’ve scored most of my goals throughout my career, so it was nice to get a goal.

“Bittersweet is a perfect way to describe it. It was a great ball in from Ron, I timed my run and got on the end of it.

“The first thing I thought was let’s get back to the halfway line, get back to 3-3.”

There was still half an hour remaining for Town to get something from the game when Shaw netted, and the foward was confident they would do so, until woeful defending cost them dearly.

He added: “Yes it’s 3-1 down and it’s quite a big scoreline to come back from, but we weren’t scared of it.

“We came in at half time knowing we could get back into it and get a result.

“Getting the goal and applying a bit of pressure got to their fans a bit and I think we thought it was going to happen.

“But going with four forwards to try and chase the game, rightfully so, as we tried to win it, and conceding sloppy goals killed us.”

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