Shrewsbury Town survival scrap going down to the wire

A packed away end at Oxford's Kassam Stadium will be full of Shrewsbury fans agitatedly checking for scores elsewhere, writes Lewis Cox.

With Coventry and Chesterfield's relegation confirmed, Paul Hurst's side (in 19th on 48 points) are vying with six others to avoid dropping out of the third tier.

So who's looking in a handy position and who seems destined for the drop?

Swindon's late defeat at Walsall on Monday did them no favours at all. The County Ground side, who are third bottom and four points behind Salop, face the visit of Scunthorpe and a trip to Charlton.

The Addicks may have their foot off the gas but Swindon require a big result against promotion-chasing Scunthorpe to even stay within a sniff of staying in touch with the sides above.

Port Vale are a side that Shrews have long-since had their eyes on ahead of the run-in.

Their one-time spirited recovery, including a derby victory against Town on a forgettable wet Friday night in March, is long gone and now the Valiants have lost four in a row. Their ace in the pack is a game in hand. Vale head to Walsall next Tuesday but their away form is woeful.

It would also require taking something on the final day at Fleetwood and denting Bolton's aspirations this Saturday for safety to become a reality.

It looks bleak at Vale Park.

Bury chalked off their game in hand with a draw at Bolton last night but face a daunting final day at Southend, who may have everything riding on it as they hunt a play-off spot.

The Shrimpers may need four points from games against Shrewsbury and Bury to crack the top six, so Lee Clark's side won't ideally want to rely on getting anything in Essex.

Gillingham's slide to the bottom had been noted by all rivals, they were dropping like a stone.

A run of four defeats was halted by a success over Bristol Rovers which left fans hopeful of a recovery.

They welcome third-placed Fleetwood, still in the automatic promotion hunt, before a kinder – on paper – final day. They go to Northampton, a trip Shrews regretted not taking three points from two days ago, with the Cobblers all but safe, so the Gills look like keeping their head above water.

Oldham, who have spent 19 years – yes count them – in League One, seem all-but safe.

Three points ahead of Town, their clashes against Rochdale, in eighth, and AFC Wimbledon, in 14th, appear extremely kind.

That leaves Northampton. The Cobblers visit Bury and host Gillingham, so if their tidy tally of 52 points won't send them down – and 52 has never seen a League One side relegated – they will have a huge say on how things finish.

Nerves will certainly be frayed.