Exeter v Shrewsbury preview: Gareth Ainsworth discusses team news and survival ahead of Devon trip
Gareth Ainsworth says he is well aware of the magnitude of Shrewsbury Town’s trip to Exeter City this weekend.
Salop have taken one point from their last 15, and they have gone from being within touching distance of 20th place to now being eight points from safety.
Town are in the midst of a crucial run of fixtures with them playing four relegation rivals in quick succession.
They lost to Peterborough. They kept a clean sheet but drew 0-0 with Bristol Rovers on Tuesday evening, and they now have a trip to Devon to prepare for.
The key run of games comes to an end next weekend when they welcome Burton Albion to Shropshire.
“I think we can stay up,” Ainsworth said. “Look at the fixtures we've got. Every fan now at Shrewsbury will be looking at them and thinking ‘We can win that, we can win that, we can win that.’
“Birmingham away, all right. We get a point there. You know, we've done it before.
“It's a big game. They're all big games down there. We understand where we are. We understand that they're one of the teams in and around us, and there will be twists and turns.
“All I can say now is, I don't want an egg on my face here at the end of the season, but I don't think that the four below the line right now will be the four below the line at the end of the season.”
Speaking before the clash against the Grecians, Ainsworth revealed Funso Ojo played through illness on Tuesday evening - the midfielder should be fine to feature at St James Park.
John Marquis was sent off at Posh last weekend, just 13 seconds in, and he will miss the clash when he serves his second game of a three-match suspension.
Aaron Pierre is also suspended and so will not be available, while Leo Castledine has a back injury. He is not expected to be involved any time soon.
The Town head coach says Shrewsbury can take inspiration from Cambridge United’s run of form earlier in the season - with the boss saying his side have not had their time yet.
“Look at Cambridge United, earlier in the season, they went five wins on the spin,” he continued. “There is no reason we can't do that.
“There's no reason a team in the bottom four can't do that. “I feel that we've got to have our time yet. We've had a couple of little moments where you think we've kick-started and then just come off it for one reason or another. There's no reason we can't go on a little winning run now, and that's what I'd like to see."
This is a winnable game for Ainsworth’s men. The hosts are in awful form having taken just six points from their last 10 matches.
Only Mansfield, who Shrewsbury beat 2-1 despite being a man down after Toto Nsiala’s red card, have been worse than Exeter in the last 10 fixtures.
