Shrewsbury Town striker Matt Harrold is ready to battle his way to promotion – literally.

The Town forward is renowned for physical contests with opposition defenders but insists it will be worth all the pain if Graham Turner’s men can celebrate promotion come the season’s end.

Harrold was caught by a flying elbow from Gillingham’s Matt Lawrence in last weekend’s goalless draw to leave him nursing his latest war wound.

“I got an elbow to the jaw. I don’t think he meant to catch me, he said he didn’t but it still hurts,” he said.

“I’ve been in a few battles with centre halves this year but I like that.

“I think sometimes referees do see you as a big striker and think you’re committing fouls when you’re perhaps not doing anything wrong.

“I’ve found myself with more yellow cards this season and I’ve been sent off which doesn’t happen very often to me. But it’s a physical league and you’ve got to put up with that if you want to go up.”

Meanwhile, Harrold is sure Town’s increased competition for places will help fire them to promotion

The former Wycombe man has played with both Lionel Ainsworth and James Collins in recent weeks while fellow frontmen Tom Bradshaw, Benjamin van den Broek and Nathan Elder are all returning to the squad following injury.

Harrold added: “We have a lot of good players looking to play and that is a good thing.”