Shrewsbury head coach Paul Hurst admitted the over-riding emotion after securing League One safety with a 1-1 draw at Charlton was “relief”.

The Shrews ensured they will have a 10th successive campaign in England’s third tier.

The Shropshire club reappointed Hurst as head coach in January after predecessor Matt Taylor had suffered seven losses in eight matches.

Daniel Udoh’s confident finish put the visitors ahead at The Valley – his 10th goal in all competitions – in the 23rd minute.

But George Dobson, set to leave Charlton after signing a pre-contract agreement with Hungarian club Fehervar, equalised in the 46th minute.

Hurst said: “Relief is the first emotion and then enjoyment and togetherness. I have to say I’m really pleased for the chairman (Roland Wycherley) because it hasn’t been easy, I think he has gone on record saying how difficult the last couple of seasons have been – but this one in particular.

“He will be a very happy man tonight. But I feel like almost the job starts again.

“Credit to the players, staff and everyone involved that they managed to get over the line.

“I’ve enjoyed being back in work. It wasn’t the longest break but you have to respect and cherish the times when you are working.

“No doubt there have been some challenges in front of us – like hoping to bring more players in than we did (in the last transfer window) and we’ve had some big injuries.”

Charlton are undefeated in 14 matches – losing just once since Nathan Jones was appointed manager in February – but they are guaranteed their lowest finish since 1926.

Dobson did have a moment to savour in SE7 as he raced on to Connor Wickham’s through ball, going past Shrews keeper Marko Marosi to convert in what is set to be his last outing as an Addicks player on home turf.

Jones said: “I believe he has signed a pre-contract – I want him to be at this football club and playing for Charlton.

“I will do everything I can to keep George Dobson at this football club. I did it in January – to prolong his stay. And I would like to keep him.

“He has done very, very well for me. I’m very proud of him. Now we need to find some common ground.

“He epitomises what I want us to be – front-footed and belief in what we do.

“At half-time we said some choice words and laid some tactical things down and we implemented it straight away. If we had only started the first half like that it could’ve been a different story.

“First half we weren’t us. Second half we asked for a reaction and we got it and we were much better.

“First half we were too passive all over, moved the ball too slowly and became that possession-based boring football team. Second half we were more us.”

Shrewsbury boss Paul Hurst said he had a feeling Daniel Udoh would get on the scoresheet again after his goal earned a 1-0 victory over rock-bottom Carlisle.

Udoh made the breakthrough five minutes before time, holding off numerous defenders before turning and converting at Harry Lewis’ near post.

The 27-year-old missed a chance to add a second late on but his first-half effort proved enough as Shrewsbury moved nine points clear of the League One relegation zone with their first home victory in seven games.

Udoh was also on the scoresheet as Shrews won 2-1 at Port Vale earlier this month and Hurst, who celebrated his first home win since returning as head coach in January, had a feeling the striker would notch again.

Hurst said: “We could have made it a little bit easier at the end with the chance, ultimately one goal was enough today.

“I said in there (changing room) that I thought he (Udoh) is due a goal and he would score today, as I said when we were at Port Vale.

“I wish it was that easy as I would tell him every game and he would be on the scoresheet but a great finish. He is good at that, he only needs half a yard.

“We have the victory and we will kind of enjoy that I don’t think it was a day for top many words after the game as we haven’t got a game for a while now.

“It’s not very often you get the chance to enjoy the victory so let the lads enjoy it and I am asking Liam (McLaughlin, Shrewsbury analyst) for results and then thankfully a few of them have gone our way.”

Carlisle’s best effort came from Dan Butterworth, who won the ball high up before gliding past a host of Shrewsbury defenders only to be denied by Marko Marosi.

The result leaves them rooted to the foot of the League One standings, 16 points adrift of safety.

Carlisle manager Paul Simpson said: “Really disappointing obviously to come away with nothing from the game. It was a game of few big moments but we were on the wrong side of the big moments today.

“We have probably had three opportunities where we should have done better for their goal.

“We have had a couple of really good chances that we weren’t able to finish, one right at the end of the first half and another from a set-play.

“I think it was a game that was there if we shown a bit more quality in the final third but unfortunately we have come out on the wrong side of it again.

“The biggest difference for me today was when we got into that final third we didn’t show that qualiti. We didn’t find the right passes, crosses or whatever it might be.”

Daniel Udoh’s first-half goal secured Shrewsbury their first home win in seven league games with a 1-0 victory over rock-bottom Carlisle.

After a quiet opening 40 minutes, Shrewsbury broke the deadlock just before the interval through leading scorer Udoh.

The 27-year-old received a ball into the box and did well to hold off a defender before spinning and firing past Harry Lewis at his near post.

Shrewsbury nearly doubled their lead three minutes later when Carl Winchester struck from inside the box, but Lewis tipped the ball out for a corner.

Carlisle came close to an equaliser through Dan Butterworth just before the hour.

He won the ball high up the pitch before dancing around the Shrewsbury defence and attempting a shot from close range, but Marko Marosi did well to save and clear the danger.

Butterworth went close again soon after from a free-kick on the edge of the box, but his effort whistled past the post.

That was as close as the visitors would come and Udoh almost snatched a second late on with an effort from the edge of the box which flew over the bar.

Shrewsbury boss Matthew Taylor welcomed a bit of luck as his side ended a long goal drought to beat Northampton 1-0.

Daniel Udoh struck a late winner to give the Shrews their first goal in over 600 minutes, a run stretching back to August and including seven games in two competitions.

The Shrews survived giving away a late penalty, as Sam Hoskins hit the crossbar with his 73rd-minute spot-kick, before Udoh struck in added time to the relief of the home supporters.

Taylor said: “I’m really pleased, not necessarily for me but really pleased for the staff and players, as I see every day how hard everybody works and working towards getting a result.

“We will play better than today, but we have not had any luck, and what we did today and what we had today is some luck.

“The ball fell to Dan, from our perspective a great finish, from their perspective they will be disappointed.

“But he does what he’s paid to do, and hopefully it gives him and the players a bit more confidence now.

“I still think there is huge growth in the group, but at the moment I have said to the players in there we have suffered a lot as a group in the last four or five weeks.

“There are always a lot of times in football where you go away from a game and you’re disappointed. I think the players now need to enjoy that feeling they have got in there in the dressing room.”

Cobblers boss Jon Brady was frustrated to have nothing to show after feeling his side had dominated the game.

He said: “One thing I would say is I think we were in control the whole match, especially in the first half with Mitch (Pinnock) and a few other chances. We had some really good opportunities.

“Then we had the penalty, and to be honest we were in full control, so minimum, minimum I felt out of that game we should come away with the three points, and we limited them, and (goalkeeper Lee) Burge wasn’t tested.

“Unfortunately, that goal we concede has too many errors in the build-up, and they get a ricochet and then goes wide, and I don’t think he should score from that angle either.

“It is tough with the squad size that we have got that we can’t rotate hugely today, so a few players were out on their fee. They gave everything they’ve got.”

Daniel Udoh struck in stoppage time to end Shrewsbury’s seven-game goal drought and earn a 1-0 win over Northampton in League One.

The Shrews had gone five league games and two EFL Trophy matches without scoring.

But that run was ended by Udoh in the first minute of stoppage time after Sam Hoskins had missed a second-half penalty for the Cobblers.

The home side went close just after the 20-minute mark when Tom Bayliss sent a free-kick flashing across the face of goal.

Northampton hurried forward soon after through Mitchell Pinnock, who used some creative footwork to get a powerful shot off, but goalkeeper Marko Marosi displayed great reactions to parry away.

Just before the break, visiting striker Louis Appere went close when he poked goalward at the near post, but Marosi managed to clear the danger.

Kieran Phillips broke into the box just after the hour mark, laying it off to Ryan Bowman in the centre, but Shrewsbury’s number nine sent it flying over the bar.

Tom Flanagan conceded a penalty with 17 minutes to go, but Hoskins crashed his spot-kick against the crossbar.

And just as the game appeared to be heading for a goalless draw, Udoh broke Salop’s scoreless streak by calmly placing a shot into the bottom corner.

Shrewsbury manager Matt Taylor highlighted Daniel Udoh as instrumental after his goal secured a 1-0 victory at Fleetwood.

The visitors fought hard to defeat nine-man Fleetwood, who fell to their fifth consecutive defeat in all competitions.

The Cod Army created more chances but they could not find the back of the net.

In contrast, Shrewsbury scored with their first shot providing the only goal of the game, after Udoh capitalised on a mistake from Scott Robertson.

“I think we did everything that to a man you would expect away from home,” Taylor said.

“I think it’s so vitally important that we focus on Daniel Udoh – for him to be able to score and celebrate in front of our fans having seen how hard he’s worked is pleasing.

“He’s got an infectious character and I’m really happy. The players showed courage and determination to apply themselves and win that game of football.

“He was composed, I think when you get into those positions as a striker and you see the opportunity you’ve got one versus one and to have the composure is great.

“He is and he will be instrumental for the football club as we move forward.”

Despite the victory, Taylor still wants to see more from his side.

“There are areas which I hope we’re better next week but they fought and got the result. That’s two away performances and three points are huge for us today,” Taylor continued.

“Now there’s another extremely difficult trip away at Carlisle. I want the players to understand that their hard work, desire and determination have got us the result today.”

Fleetwood goalkeeper Jay Lynch was shown a red card for bringing down Ryan Bowman before half-time, while Josh Earl was dismissed in stoppage time.

Scott Brown remained positive and insisted his side were the better team.

“You lose a sloppy goal and then straight afterwards and Lynch has just got to let him go past,” he said.

“We can’t afford to go down to 10 men and then nine men later in the game as well, which is something we never want to see,” he said.

“Our performance levels were very good but the problem is we couldn’t score a goal.

“Even when we went down to 10 men we were the better team. Throughout the whole game, we were the better team.

“But you can’t make mistakes and that isn’t just one person, because mentally that’s when it becomes a hard thing to get out of and it turns into a losing streak.

“We have to understand where we are in the table is nowhere near good enough.

“The way we play, the performance levels are good, but there is a blatant difference between the performance levels and the score.

“Every team would much rather the score was in your favour.”

Shrewsbury returned to winning ways with a 2-1 victory over Burton at the Croud Meadow.

It was an action-packed start for both sides but it was Shrewsbury who broke the deadlock after only three minutes.

Daniel Udoh picked up the ball out wide and drove a low cross to Tom Bayliss, who fired home at the back post.

Two minutes later Burton came close to a leveller when Josh Gordon was one-on-one with Marko Marosi but the Slovakian made a brilliant dive to block the effort.

Taylor Perry dazzled the Burton defence in the fourth minute of stoppage-time with fancy footwork but his shot was cleared for a corner. Jordan Shipley floated the set-piece to the back post and Chey Dunkley nodded home to double Shrewsbury’s lead.

Burton went close in the 56th minute as Joe Powell whipped a corner to the back post and the ball bounced around before reaching Steve Seddon, whose header hit the bar.

The Brewers pulled one back in additional time through Mason Bennett, who made his second debut for the club.

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