Paul Hurst: Hard work solves Shrewsbury bad luck
Shrewsbury Town boss Paul Hurst admits his side are feeling unlucky as they continue to search for a winning feeling this season.
Salop booked another date with familiar adversaries Fleetwood Town as the pair saw out a goalless FA Cup second round tie and will replay at the Highbury Stadium next Tuesday.
Both sides are in the hat for tonight's third round draw and Hurst's Shrewsbury were unfortunate not to be confirmed through in their own right.
They struck the woodwork three times during the second half on Saturday.
But the result, which secured a fifth clean sheet in eight under the new boss and a second consecutive Greenhous Meadow 0-0 stalemate in seven days, lacked the touch of lady luck from the Town chief's point of view.
Asked if the footballing gods were not smiling on his side, Hurst reponded: "I think there's an element of feeling like that.
"I've said before that if you're on a long unbeaten run then it goes in – maybe it doesn't even hit the post and he strikes it slightly cleaner or differently."
However, Hurst maintained that continuing to work hard is the solution.
"It's where we are and we have to accept it, we can't hide away from it and pretend that it's not what it is in reality," he said.
"That starts by working hard and we are doing that.
"Look where Fleetwood are in the league as well, that's what I would say.
"We've come up against a team that have just beaten us 3-0, going very well in League One and if you were coming here today as a neutral and didn't know any league positions, then you'd have said that it was us that were higher up the table."
Town named just five substitutes from a possible seven for the Cup encounter.
With the January transfer window looming and the ex-Grimsby boss itching to carry out some business, Hurst admitted a struggle in gathering numbers together.
Meanwhile, fans will get free travel to the Cup replay – courtesy of the club.
Chief executive Brian Caldwell told shrewsburytown.com: "We will pay for the supporters coaches going to Fleetwood for the replay.
"We appreciated that people are watching the money around Christmas and I think it's only fair that the club pick up the tab for the coaches."
