Shrewsbury Town head coach Gavin Cowan said his first win since taking charge felt "incredible" and is confident the result can drive the team on to secure their Football League status.
Salop's 2-1 victory over fellow strugglers Barrow at Croud Meadow on Tuesday propelled them above their visitors into 21st place in League Two and, crucially, five points clear of the relegation zone.
After drawing with Barnet and losing 2-0 at Colchester in his first two matches in charge, Cowan’s side delivered a vital win after two goals in seven minutes from Anthony Scully and Luca Hoole early in the second half proved enough, despite Barrow pulling one back with 15 minutes remaining.
"Incredible," former Brackley boss Cowan told BBC Radio Shropshire. "The players were magnificent from start to finish.
"We've evolved in the last three games. We were very defensive against Barnet, last Saturday I felt it was an excellent performance [at Colchester] – I know people will just see the result but, when you're in it, you see the evolution and how the players are doing.
"We took the final-third work into this game – the lads have been brilliant."
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The only negative for Town was an early injury for captain John Marquis.
Cowan confirmed the 33-year-old had suffered a knee injury that forced him off in the 14th minute and said the club would work to get him back fit "as quickly as possible" and hoped that would be "sooner rather than later".
With Maquis set to miss Salop's next game – against Swindon at Croud Meadow – Cowan said the team cannot let their standards drop now.
"We won't get complacent and we can't get carried away, we have to back that up now on Saturday," he said.
"That was our minimum requirement [against Barrow] – doing a job and a half all over the pitch.
"They know what's expected of them and, if they can bring that week in, week out, we'll be fine.
"We've got to maintain standards now. Confidence is a big thing. We feel like we're growing in confidence and we want to carry that on now."
