Boss vows Shrewsbury won't 'sleep walk'

Town go to Millwall tomorrow, the second of six games in a row against the current top eight.

The gap to the drop zone has been cut from eight points to two in the last week but Mellon believes Town won't be found wanting.

The Town boss said: "We've lost two out of 11 and one was against Man United and the other was against Wigan, so we're heading in the right direction.

"I don't want anyone to think we're sleepwalking here; we're well aware of the situation and the responsibility that's on us.

"I'm making sure we approach every game with the right mentality to pick up points."

Mellon admits he prefers to be playing teams at the top.

He continued: "Playing teams whose backsides will be squeaking, there will be phases where they come at us or we'll be allowed to go at them because the points are so important.

"I'd rather be playing teams at the other end of the table that still had something to play for.

"There are big crowds, big clubs and it's fantastic. It's a great challenge."

Mellon was hurt by last week's 5-1 defeat to Wigan, but has learned more from that than games they have won.

He said: "Let's measure ourselves against them then we'll find out more about ourselves.

"Take the Wigan game: I've had more to talk to the players from that than teams we've beaten."

Town are set to field one of their most inexperienced and unfamiliar defences tomorrow.

Jack Hendry is set to debut alongside either Dom Smith or Jermaine Grandison – or both – with Nat Knight-Percival, Zak Whitbread and Junior Brown out.

But Mellon said: "I trust the player. Hendry's here to play."

Meanwhile, James Wallace is in full training and James Wesolowski is in contention for tomorrow.