Shrewsbury Town vs Burton: Luke Waterfall says cups can galvanise Town

Last season’s Checkatrade Trophy and National League-winning captain has swapped Lincolnshire for Shropshire after helping condemn Shrewsbury to familiar Wembley woe in April, writes Lewis Cox.

The 28-year-old stopper, who was handed the captain’s armband on his Town bow at Charlton on Saturday, is now wearing blue and amber as John Askey’s men get their cup exploits for 2018/19 under way.

The EFL Cup (named Carabao for sponsorship reasons) brings League One rivals Burton Albion to Montgomery Waters Meadow tonight with Askey’s men desperate to halt a record of two defeats from two this term.

Waterfall believes cup ties have the potential to galvanise a club, to bring crucial form and momentum.

He said: “They can really capture the fans’ imagination. A lot of people are a bit wary of cup competitions, with the games building up and stuff like that, but winning is winning.

“Winning in the cup competitions, we had that at Lincoln and took it into the league games. I think it helped us.

“We played a lot of games but I’m all for winning, whether it’s in the cup or the league, anything. I just want to win.”

Waterfall was an Imps hero last season as he lifted the Checkatrade Trophy after a 1-0 win over Town at Wembley on what was City’s first visit to the national stadium.

For Askey’s new-look Town, with all 15 new signings vying for places alongside those that remain from last season, you feel they need matches to gel.

“The more games we can get together, the better,” he added. “We want to get the lads bedded in as quick as we can.

“We showed flashes on Saturday so I’m really positive going forward.”

There is League Cup final experience in the Salop camp thanks to assistant boss John Filan. The Aussie played 75 minutes against Sir Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United at the Millennium Stadium in 2006.

After replacing the injured Mike Pollitt, he had the thankless job of keeping Wayne Rooney, Cristiano Ronaldo and Co at bay.

Filan said: “I’ve been involved as a player in a few cup runs, getting to the final was a great thing. It didn’t go for us on the day. But the experience is why you’re in the game, to get through things and attempt to win individual matches and competitions.

“Our players have got a good atmosphere around and are a great bunch who work hard.

“If we get a couple of little aspects right and continue to improve, as we’ve done so far we won’t be far away.”

Askey’s No.2 continued: “It came towards the end of my career. Mike Pollitt pulled his hamstring inside the first five minutes so I was called upon.

“To be fair we were in the game for about 60 minutes but Man United had a hell of a team, knocked it up a couple of levels and blew us off the park.

“It was a good experience to make a final for the lads, especially the younger ones, but not the result on the day. But you want to be in these games.”

The Brewers, like Town, have lost back-to-back League One games. Out of last season’s relegated Championship outfits, they have found it toughest to acclimatise back in the third tier.

Contrasting to Town, they have made just three signings and have a senior squad of 18 players.

Filan added: “I think in modern football it’s the same up and down the leagues.

“If you drop out of a league and go down you’re not necessarily going to pick up and walk the league. That’s from Premier League, Championship and all the way down.

“It’s probably a different experience for them and they’ve had some changes as everyone does.

“It’s a difficult thing to drop out of a league, pick it up and get going again – but that’s none of mine or the lads’ concern.”

Likely Line-up:

Shrewsbury Town (4-2-3-1): Coleman, Bolton, Waterfall, Sadler, Haynes, Grant, Colckett, Docherty, Gilliead, John-Lewis, Okenabirhie.

Subs: Beckles, Laurent, Loft, Whalley, Angol, Eisa, Arnold (gk).

Burton (4-3-3): Bywater, Brayford, Buxton, Turner, Hurchinson; Fox, Sbarra, Hodge, Akins, Boyce, Templeton

The Boss:

Nigel Clough: 'We will put our best team out at Shrewsbury. That’s the thing with the squad being pretty small; there won’t be too many changes.'

Memory Lane:

The Brewers last visited Shrewsbury in August 2015. Mark Duffy netted a 90th-minute winner. Burton went on to win promotion.

Key Man:

Fejiri Okenabirhie: Shone in preseason and deserves a shot from the off. A fine assist at Charlton showed his class on the ball.