Shearer hopes to face old pals

Shrewsbury Town old boy Scott Shearer today insisted his new club Wycombe would respect - but not fear - Shrewsbury in the League Two match of the weekend.Town travel to Adams Park on Saturday aiming to protect their position at the top of the table against another team fancied to be in the promotion fray.

Goalkeeper Shearer knows plenty about Gary Peters' side having spent seven months on loan last term, helping the side to the play-off final before being forced out of the Wembley showpiece against his parent club Bristol Rovers.

But, with confidence high after successive wins over Brentford and Macclesfield, Chairboys boss Paul Lambert has so far resisted the temptation to tap into the 26-year-old's inside knowledge of Saturday's opponents.

"The manager doesn't really worry about other teams - he just concentrates on what we are going to do," he said.

"Shrewsbury have brought in a lot of new players so I'm not too sure how they are performing but their results suggest they are going well.

"We know we are going to have to compete well and win lots of the second balls.

"Shrewsbury are a good side but we know we have one of the best squads in the division this season and we are confident."

Shearer's hopes of starting against his former club, however, are slim.

He started the first five games after his summer switch but was dropped by Lambert after a mistake in the 2-0 defeat against Chesterfield and has since played second fiddle to 22-year-old Jamie Young.

"I have settled in really quickly but it's obviously disappointing to be dropped," said the Leicestershire-based Shearer.

"It was a total shock because I was doing well and just made one mistake which didn't affect my confidence.

"But I have had a chat with the manager and I'm confident of getting my place back in the team soon."

By James Garrison