Rovers reporter Rich Sharpe picks out five talking points from the 1-1 draw at Shrewsbury Town.

CHAPMAN CONUNDRUM

IT IS now six appearances off the bench in eight league games for Harry Chapman, and after coming up with the assist for Bradley Dack’s equaliser five minutes from time, he has had a hand in five Rovers goals already this season.

His direct play here added an extra facet to the Rovers attack, and it was his forceful run and cross which created the equaliser, moments after seeing a header saved.

He also forced a late save out of the Shrewsbury goalkeeper as Rovers looked for a winner.

Calls for him to start a game will only grow with such impressive cameos, but Tony Mowbray will still be wary of his defensive capabilities, particularly away from home.

His situation is somewhat similar to that of Connor Mahoney last season, when the winger continued to impress when used off the bench, but had to be patient in waiting for a starting spot.

And using Chapman from the off  would actually restrict Rovers’ options from the sidelines which have proved so vital so far this season.

FIRST HALF FAILURES

ROVERS failed to score in the first half of a league game for the sixth time in eight outings so far this season. 

Indeed, in Mowbray’s 15 games in charge last season, they were goalless in the first half of 12 of them.

Here, they managed five shots on target, but all of them coming after the break.

Going in 0-0 at the break, they will have wanted to kick on after the re-start, and while they did improve, they were still far from their best going forward.

They showed more of a willingness to shoot from distance after the break, and a late equalised spared Rovers from going a second consecutive league game without finding the back of the net.

LOPSIDED ON THE LEFT

THIS was the fourth league game in which winger Craig Conway has missed through injury this season, and without him, Tony Mowbray has mixed things up in his usual slot.

Rekeem Harper, Elliott Bennett and Bradley Dack have all been given a go on that side, but at times in the first half at Shrewsbury, Dack left Derrick Williams far too isolated against the lively Shaun Whalley.

It was clear that Dack was looking to come central to link the play, but when moves broke down, he was out of position to fulfil his defensive duties which were required in a 4-4-2.

Rovers looked better when they moved to more of a 4-3-3 late on, with Dack impressing more in a central role, but they must work out a plan of action down that side for when Conway is unavailable in a 4-4-2.

SHREWS SURPRISE

SHREWSBURY are League One’s surprise package at the start of the League One season, leading the way with nine games gone, boasting the only remaining unbeaten record in the EFL.

Having only secured their third tier status on the final day of last season, they have started in really impressive fashion, winning seven and drawing twice, and looked a real compact unit on this evidence.

They had a really strong work ethic, both in and out of possession, though Rovers will have been disappointed not to have tested their defensive unit more often.

Key to their success has been their ability to edge close matches, with all seven of their wins coming by a one goal margin, so Rovers will have been pleased not to have been the eighth victim.

A lack of a clinical edge may stop them from being promotion contenders later in the season, with chants of ‘we are staying up’ showing where the home fans’ priorities lie, but the Shrews are enjoying their moment in the spotlight.

ODD OFFICIATING

THE game stood still for a moment in the second half when Junior Brown appealed for a foul down the Shrewsbury left, claiming to have had his heels clipped by Bradley Dack as he chased down the full-back.

Referee David Webb seemingly saw nothing and allowed play to go on, only to then consult with his fourth official of all people, and a free-kick was awarded.  Not only that, Dack was yellow carded.

A strange sequence of events, and not the only time during the game that the standard of officiating left a lot to be desired.

That free-kick would eventually lead to the Shrewsbury goal, and while Rovers may have complaints about the award of the free-kick, their inability to clear their lines on three separate occasions was all their own doing.