Alex Rodman determined to avoid Shrewsbury Town heartbreak

Shrewsbury can claim top spot in League One tonight if they defeat struggling Northampton Town at Sixfields.

Three points would make it five wins on the bounce in all competitions for Paul Hurst’s men, while Town would set a new club Football League club record of six straight victories on the road.

Rodman, 31, went on a charge to the play-offs under Hurst with Grimsby in 2014 and won a Conference North winners medal with Tamworth in 2009 – but explained his desperation to achieve a top-two finish with Shrewsbury this season.

“Absolutely I’m desperate, there’s no doubt about that,” said Rodman, who has eight goals this season.

“It’s a fantastic position for myself to be in this year and I don’t want to let it slip. There’d be a huge amount of regret if we did.

“I had a chat with Doigy (assistant Chris Doig) at the weekend.

“All we can do is look after ourselves, give 100 per cent and what will be will be. If it’s meant to be then it’s meant to be, but we’ll be giving it absolutely everything to try and achieve a win at Wembley in the Trophy and get promoted as well.

“If it’s not meant to be, then at least we can hold our heads up high and say we gave everything and go into the play-offs full of bounce.”

Rodman studied the League One standings after Hurst’s side fought back to win in the snow at Scunthorpe.

Leaders Blackburn are two points ahead of chasers Shrewsbury, having played a game more. Wigan, in third, are four points behind Town with two games in hand. After tonight’s game at the Cobblers, who have won just once in eight games, Town enter single figures in terms of remaining games this term.

And Rodman is ready for the challenge of going toe-to-toe with Shrewsbury’s much-fancied promotion rivals.

“Sunday was the first time I actually looked into the details and we’re almost in a neck-and-neck race,” Town’s popular winger continued.

“Once we get our game in hand with Blackburn out the way tonight then it’s neck-and-neck, regardless what Wigan do.

“If we win a game and they lose a game, then you can start feeling ‘crikey, we’re right on the edge here.’

“There is obviously vice-versa, but it’s the first time I’ve thought of it like that.

“It’s still too early (for nerves). With two, three or four games left, if there’s two or three points in it, then maybe we’ll look at it differently but not yet.”

While Hurst’s high-fliers head into the Northampton clash on the cusp of history, tonight’s hosts are in dire straits.

Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink’s men lost 3-0 on home soil to Rotherham last weekend and Hurst warned his opposite number will be demanding a response. But Rodman said: “The mood in the camp after Saturday was fantastic.

“We had stern words at half-time and we wanted a response – yet again the character and team spirit came through.

“It was a great place to be. We will be looking for that again tonight.

“I’d much rather be in our position than their position, fighting at the top of the league rather than down the bottom.”

“The fans have taken so much pride in the team because they can see everyone that has got the shirt is giving their absolute all for the tea.

“That’s why we’ve achieved the results and performances we have. That won’t be any different in the last 10 games.

“There was a huge relief and massive boost in the dressing room after being able to come back. To go 1-0 down how we did and the confidence and belief boost from that.

“The character and resilience in this team is fantastic. I’ve never seen anything like it.

“We can take so much from digging in in those conditions.