Stand-in skipper Graham Coughlan has urged Shrewsbury Town to improve on their “patchy” away form as they prepare for an on-the-road League Two double-header.

Although they have drawn four times, Town have just one victory to their name in the League this term – that coming in their first attempt against Exeter – and have suffered their share of disappointments away from the Prostar Stadium, most notably last week’s FA Cup upset at Blyth Spartans.

The opportunity to atone for that below-par record in the next eight days starts with tonight’s testing assignment at Chesterfield followed by a trip to Lincoln.

And Coughlan is desperate for Shrewsbury to start collecting regular victories on the road.

“The chance (to go top tonight) will be an incentive and I’m sure it will get a mention,” said the 34-year-old.

“Our away performances have been very patchy so we want to pick up a few away victories.

“We have put a few results together in the League and haven’t really hit top form.

“We haven’t really clicked and we haven’t had a clean bill of health all season.

“We are just waiting on a couple of those factors to go our way and maybe we can get off on a run.

“We have shown it in fits and starts and now we have to try and hit top form and see what we are capable of.

“But it’s a decent little position to be in when we haven’t really got going.”

Coughlan admitted the disappointment of the FA Cup setback at Blyth would linger for the remainder of the season.

“I don’t think you are ever fully over things like that,” added the former Rotherham man.

“It was embarrassing to say the least. We let ourselves down, let the manager and we let the club down.

“We are eager to atone for that. It wasn’t good enough and we know that and we let the fans down. There is a way of losing and last week wasn’t the way for us.

“We spoke about it and the manager has left us in no uncertain terms that it wasn’t good enough.

“It was very disappointing but the bigger picture is May – that’s when we will be judged.”

By JAMES GARRISON