Leading scorer Grant Holt insists Shrewsbury Town’s automatic promotion dream is still alive as they bid for their first League Two double of the season against Exeter tonight.

Town enter a busy night of League Two action six points adrift of the top three and having played at least one more game than each of the six teams above them.

But Holt is confident they still possess enough quality to challenge for the automatic places.

“You have to believe,” said the 22-goal marksman. “We have maintained the home form well.

“We just have to keep going. We have a good bunch of lads and a good enough squad that will be there or thereabouts and I think we have enough to do it.”

Town will be delighted to return to the Prostar Stadium after another desperately disappointing week on the road brought defeats at Luton and Bournemouth, with Town shipping three goals in each games.

Asked whether winning away has become a mental barrier, Holt added: “I think it’s got to be.

“When you don’t win away since August 16 it’s going to be in your head.

“We will never turn it around if we don’t stop conceding silly goals.

“Saturday was one of those days again. The manager has to go out there and has to speak to all the Press and get abuse off the fans.

“I don’t think anyone can look at him.

“He does everything and they (the staff) try their hardest to change it up.

“We have travelled away and stayed overnight in the past and stayed in good hotels.

“On Saturday we travelled on a good bus and we have let the manager down again.

“We just can’t keep doing that. It’s not just ourselves we are letting down.

“It’s everyone who keeps travelling every week, paying their money and we are not performing.”

By JAMES GARRISON