Manager Paul Simpson has urged Shrewsbury Town to cement their place in the thick of the promotion battle by chalking up a Prostar Stadium double in the next four days.

Town entertain second-placed Brentford in a top-of-the-table clash tomorrow before hosting Accrington Stanley on Tuesday night.

Shrewsbury have already stormed to 10 home victories this term, and Simpson is aware a further two in the next four days will almost certainly see his side climb from their current sixth position.

“If somebody at the start of the season had said we would get to the end of January within three points of second place, I think most people would have taken it,” he said

“We now have two home games coming up. We know we have no divine right to turn up and think we can just get three points. But we also know that we have done it right so far at home. We have to keep that going.

“We have got to keep being positive at home, maybe even be a little bit more positive than we have been of late.

“If we carry on winning our home games and getting a point away, we are going to give ourselves a chance and these next two games will give us a good idea of where we are.”

Simpson is hoping his Town discover their early season scoring touch, having not grabbed more than one goal in a game since November 25.

“I think we have got to have better quality more than anything,” he added. 

“We have got players with quality in the final third but of late, there has been wrong decisions made and poor execution.

“I’m not for one minute comparing ourselves with Manchester United. But Man United have been scraping 1-0 victories of late and they have kept 11 clean sheets.

“On Tuesday night they go and smash five and I hear somebody as experienced as Sir Alex Ferguson saying Man United have just got their ruthless streak back for the first time this season. So we are not the only team that get affected.”

Michael Symes is still troubled with a back injury and remains a doubt for tomorrow’s game.

By JAMES GARRISON