Chris Doig: Shrewsbury Town's season not defined by Oldham clash

Paul Hurst's trusted lieutenant expects a tough physical battle from John Sheridan's Latics at Greenhous Meadow tomorrow – but insists it won't be season-defining.

After seeing Town claim their most impressive scalp of the season last week against Bradford and slipping into the bottom four, his viewpoint is understandable, writes Lewis Cox.

"We're well aware of how difficult Saturday is going to be," said the Scot. "They've had a new manager in place and he got a fantastic win is his first game last weekend.

"They'll be coming into it as confident as we are, it'll be a very difficult game. It might not be a pretty game but there's a lot at stake.

"It won't define the season, whatever way it goes, but obviously it's a game we're looking to win.

"We got three points last weekend but dropped into the relegation zone. That's how it can go, it's three points, that's it.

"If we win it then it doesn't mean we're safe, and if we get beat it doesn't mean we're relegated."

Salop have become accustomed to lining up against League One's high-fliers under Hurst, they have faced eight of the current top nine in 12 league games. To balance it up, Town welcome Oldham before heading to 17th-placed Gillingham and hosting Bury, in 20th, the following week.

Not that the peculiar stat will distract the focused Doig, Salop's passionate assistant who is a vibrant character in the dugout on Saturday afternoons.

He added: "I know you can say playing teams at the top are harder games but if anything I find teams at the bottom harder because they're scrapping for every point like we are.

"We've gone about our business (at home) in a positive way. We've got to maintain that, our home form could be key to staying in the league. I think it'll be a very physical game and probably whoever comes out on top of that will come away with the points.

"Oldham will be direct but it's up to us to stand up to that and try and influence our game on them."

Town go into the clash low on numbers with a patched-up squad, 18-year-old West Bromwich Albion loanee Tyler Roberts became their fourth January acquisition this week.

But Louis Dodds and Adam El-Abd have both been sidelined with injuries sustained against Bradford.

"It doesn't help with the numbers but it's football, you have problems to deal with throughout the season and it's a squad game," said Doig. "It's why everyone's so important.

"It could be Tyler, there's a couple of ways we could go with people in positions.

"Changing things is part of the job. You have injuries thrown at you, during the week, the game, the warm-up, you have to adapt and have an equal squad.

"There's been a big turnaround of players but more have gone out than in.

"We have a certain way we want to play, but we won't be limited to that, we will change things if we feel it needs to be done and we'll have a squad that will be able to change formations.

"I wouldn't say we're more settled, I just think the lads know what we're about.

"They're giving everything, that's all we can ask."