Groundsman Andrew Muir gets the Prostar pitch ready for tonight’s game

Shrewsbury manager Paul Simpson has set his side a target of 11 wins from their last 18 League Two matches – as tonight’s home clash with Accrington Stanley looks set to beat the cold snap.

Town begin the evening in ninth position, two points outside the play-offs and six adrift of Bury in the third and final automatic promotion position.

And Simpson is desperate for his side to produce a reaction after Saturday’s disappointing 3-1 home defeat at the hands of Brentford.

“There are not many times this season where we have really let ourselves down,” said the Town boss.

“Saturday was one of them with the way we went about it as a team. We now have another chance, luckily very quickly, to try and do something about it.

“We have got 18 massive games – 18 cup finals – between now and the end of the season. I think we need to be looking at winning 10 or 11 of those games.

“We have got nine at home and nine away. It’s fairly obvious we need to address our away form.

“But if we can improve that, we have still got one helluva chance.”

Town were beaten 2-1 at Accrington in October and the Lancashire side will head south with ex-Town men Jimmy Ryan, Colin Murdock and Ian Dunbavin in their squad.

“They will want to spoil it and they will make it hard for us,” Simpson added.

“They have shown they can be a decent side, especially away from home.”

Meanwhile, general manager Jon Harris delivered a very upbeat bulletin of the prospects on the match going ahead this morning.

“It’s really positive. We have got about an inch and a half of snow on the pitch so the groundstaff are taking the top layer off and leaving a bit on to act as a thermal blanket, and we have provisions to make sure the car park and surrounding areas are clear.”

By JAMES GARRISON