Shrewsbury Town have been urged to become Exeter party-poopers in their opening away League Two clash of the season tomorrow.Town make the trip to St James’s Park for what is the Grecians’ first Football League home game after a five-year absence.

That is sure to mean a large and buoyant home contingent – but manager Paul Simpson is keen to turn the carnival atmosphere sour.

“I think it will be a very tough game,” he said. “They are a good footballing side and very enthusiastic.

“But we are as well. We are a good footballing side and we should be full of enthusiasm and optimism after the performance and result in the first game and the performance in the second game.

“They will be buzzing still from the promotion and it’s their first League home game so we have to be prepared for them to come and think it’s going to be a party.

“What we have to do is try and spoil it as much as we can.

“I want our performance to be right but, more importantly, I want the result to be right.

“We want to set the tempo in every game. We will have to earn that right and roll our sleeves up and fight and battle early on.

“But I expect the pitch to be good at this time of the season and I would hope our football players and our ability will come through.”

Simpson will have to do without experienced defender Graham Coughlan with a hamstring problem, while David Hunt continues to be ruled out with a knee ligament strain.

Kelvin Langmead is favourite to come in for Coughlan, while midfielder Paul Murray could come back into contention after returning to training from a minor Achilles problem which ruled him out of Tuesday’s Carling Cup defeat to Carlisle.

He will be assessed again today.

By James Garrison