Micky Mellon reveals Shrewsbury Town's secret

The Town boss sends his side to cross swords with the Blades tonight when they host play-off chasing Sheffield United aiming to take another step towards League One safety.

Shrewsbury collide with another of the division's heavyweights buoyed by a superb rearguard action after restricting Bradford to a 1-1 draw on Saturday.

And Mellon believes it was all down to practising defending under intense pressure in training.

The Town boss commented: "We actually practised it. I think the Red Arrows call it 'practise chaos' where you prepare for a situation by practising a certain scenario.

"At Millwall, when the pressure came on we never recognised it as a group and so for the Bradford game we said 'let's see it through.'

"We created a scenario whereby we were a goal up with 15 minutes to go, and we said 'keep it that way.'

"We set the training session up so the only way the game could be played was by them being under total pressure.

"We spoke again after five minutes and we got to a point where they enjoyed coming under that pressure.

"They saw it through and we did it on Saturday. So they knew what they had to do – win your first headers, win your knockdowns, try to retain possession better and get our goalkeeper to slow it down."

United have taken seven points from nine and not conceded in three. Town have gone six games without a win but four have been draws and Mellon is convinced his players will be ready for Nigel Adkins' side.

He said: "I'm sure if we perform how we can, we've got enough to cause Sheffield United a lot of problems. We'll have enough threats, character and desire to have a good chance of getting something."

Striker Kyle Vassell is set to return to the squad tonight after being the 'odd man out' on Saturday, with Town having six loans and only being able to name five in their 18.

Midfielder James Wallace, who made his comeback at the weekend, is ineligible to play against his parent club.