Five conclusions on Huddersfield Town’s edgy victory over Shrewsbury

Callum Marshall's first-half goal was enough to claim another three points, but there is still room for improvement at both ends of the pitch

1. This was the test we expected

We’re still surprised when opposition managers refer to Huddersfield Town as one of the titans of the division — but the longer they maintain this run of form, the more that is going to be the case.

Paul Hurst’s satisfaction in leaving the John Smith’s Stadium with a narrow 1-0 loss spoke volumes. We don’t mean that in a patronising way: we had much the same reaction at around this stage last season after Town lost 1-0 to Leicester, and that was at home.

But along with that reputation — backed up by results — will come games like this. Shrewsbury may have been the ‘easiest’ of Town’s early-season fixtures on paper, but in reality, it was their most difficult so far.

After the Peterborough showdown, we asked whether Darren Ferguson’s short-passing style might have played to Town’s advantage. This match, along with the Posh’s recent results, suggests it did. Shrewsbury adopted a cautious approach, playing for a clean sheet and a point, with little interest in controlling the game or putting pressure on Town’s back line.

As frustrating as it was to watch at times, we keep returning to a conclusion that we think will define the season: they won, and in the end, that’s what matters.