Shropshire Star

Have a good go at Wigan, Paul Hurst tells his Shrewsbury Town side

Paul Hurst has challenged his Shrewsbury side to match the best side in the division as first welcomes second in League One today.

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Town visit Wigan in a Boxing Day cracker which few would have suggested would prove a meeting of the top two before the season got underway.

Hurst's Shrewsbury have found their form again with back-to-back victories over Blackpool and Portsmouth keeping them on the coattails of today's hosts.

While Shrews impressed with a 2-0 victory over Portsmouth last on Saturday, Wigan warmed up for the top two clash with a ruthless 7-0 demolition at Oxford.

"It is what it is," said Hurst. "I'm not going to go there for us to get embarrassed.

"But we'll go and have a go. If we go out second best – well I've said for a long time now that they're the best team in the division.

"So that was the challenge whether they won 7-0 on Saturday or got beat or whatever.

"All we can do is go and try and give a good account of themselves.

"We've managed to beat them once. Arguably the toughest game of the season, in some ways, and I'm sure it'll be tough again."

Town inflicted one of just three defeats Paul Cook's side have tasted in the league this season when they won 1-0 at Montgomery Waters Meadow in September.

Hurst allowed his side to prepare for the mouthwatering clash by giving them Christmas Day off after they train on Sunday following the victory against Portsmouth.

The boss believes being with loved ones on Christmas Day is the ideal preparation for a Boxing Day clash.

"We were in on Sunday, which we normally wouldn't be, some players did more than others," Hurst added.

"Then we're off on Christmas Day. Something that I've always done, I've had mixed results and performances.

"But it's different ways of going about it. I believe you get more out of your players by letting them having quality time with their families and then turn up.

"We know it's going to be a massive test so that won't change whether we're in or not.

Then the one after the one is the concern. Going to Southend (on December 30) with the distance to travel. We looked at it in terms of our training – it's a testing period but it is for every team."