FA Cup: Salford v Shrewsbury Town - Salop head into crunch clash needing a win

So cup action offers them some welcome relief from the weekly grind. 

This competition is incredibly important for Shrewsbury. The club announced losses of £3 million in the first part of this year. 

The prize money for getting through to the next round of the competition is £45,000. If they can win in the second round they will receive £75,000 - an eye-watering amount. 

So a defeat damages Shrewsbury twofold. The loss of important income to help get the club back on a sustainable footing.

But also the fact they have regressed so much in the last few years that they would be struggling to compete with a mid-table League Two side. 

But with Town's current form, it is anyone's guess who will come out on top in this clash. 

Salop have not made a habit of winning this season - they have done it twice all season across all competitions - albeit they did get the better of Notts County in the Carabao Cup on penalties. 

Paul Hurst has mentioned several times in his press conferences that he always expected this season to be a challenging one. 

But did he expect it to be this challenging? Everything certainly feels very gloomy at the moment. 

It is perhaps unlikely any of Town's injured players will return for the match. 

Josh Kayode is still recovering from a calf problem, Jordan Shipley has an Achilles issue, while Aaron Pierre pulled his hamstring in the defeat to Barnsley. 

Carl Winchester is expected to return from illness. 

Town and Salford played against each other in an FA Cup tie as recently as 2018.

Salford were a non-league club at the time and the teams drew 1-1 at the Croud Meadow back in 2018, which led to a replay. 

That result led to then-boss John Askey being relieved of his duties in Shropshire after winning just four of the club's opening 17 league games. 

Salop, who were managerless at the time, then won 3-1 in the second fixture after a brace from Fejiri Okenabirhie and a Greg Docherty goal. 

There are no replays at this stage of the competition. The qualifying rounds saw teams from the fifth tier to the 10th competing for 32 spots in the first round proper - those rounds did have replays. 

Instead, if Salop's game at Peninsula Stadium ends all square after 90 minutes there will be extra time and then penalties. 

Town will have the advantage of not playing in midweek ahead of the game, Karl Robinson's team made the trip to Fleetwood in midweek where they drew 2-2. 

They have been in mixed form so far this season. They sit in 12th place in the League Two table taking 20 points from the 14 fixtures they have played.