How a year can change things – six matches to save Shrewsbury's season
How much difference does a year make?
This time last year – 366 days ago to be precise – some Alex Rodman brilliance set up Toto Nsiala’s last-gasp winner at Bristol Rovers. It lifted Town up to second in the table.
Shrewsbury’s defeat against Luton on Saturday leaves them second-bottom in League One.
A fruitless run of results have caught up with Sam Ricketts’ side as relegation rivals caught up and overtook Salop. They go to Rovers, who now have one Rodman in their ranks, on Saturday.
There are now 16 league fixtures left for Town to put things right and halt their slide towards League Two.
They still have to play most of the division again, including some crunch clashes against the teams around them.
Bristol Rovers (a) February 9
A must-win game on the road for Shrewsbury, something they have managed just once this season. The Gas are 21st, one point ahead of Town and have found a their groove under former Town captain Graham Coughlan, with one defeat in 10 in all competitions. They are now organised, well-drilled and very much on the up.
AFC Wimbledon (h) March 2
The remainder of Town’s February is tough, with clashes against Peterborough and Doncaster a big ask.
The beginning of March welcomes the current bottom side, and only team Salop have beaten away. This has to be a home win for Shrewsbury. The Dons have not won in six league games. Their FA Cup heroics are something to behold but they are nine points adrift in the league and don’t look like staging a resurrection.
Rochdale (a) March 9
This one looks huge – and is the start of a gigantic four days for Salop. The Spotland club had one point from six games before their 2-1 win at Walsall on Saturday. Boss Keith Hill always seems to pull something out of the bag and has a talented number of attacking options.
Shrewsbury haven’t won at Rochdale in 11 attempts, going back to the 7-1 defeat in 2001. Four points from these back-to-back away games are the least Town require, but that means they need to win one of them.
Plymouth (a) March 12
Four days after a trip to the north west it’s time for the longest trek of the season down to Home Park.
The Green Army have really found some form under Derek Adams, winning five from six in the league. There is a question of whether they can sustain that – but Salop must worry about their own form, particularly on the road. Plymouth were one of the teams swept aside by Town under the caretaker stewardship of Danny Coyne and Eric Ramsay, a double over them would be huge.
Gillingham (a) April 13
Either side of Gillingham, Town play Wycombe, Portsmouth, Southend, Scunthorpe and Barnsley.
The trip to the Gills stands out as one where Town need a positive result.
Gillingham were humbled by lowly Walsall at home recently, so Town can seek some confidence that they are there to be got at on home soil. It’s never pretty down at Priestfield after such a long hike but this could be an away day where the points are an absolutely necessity.
Walsall (h) May 4
The final day of the season. May the force (fourth – sorry!) be with Town. If this local fixture remains a shoot-out between the sides possibly going down, then things clearly will not have gone to plan. This match stood out from the moment the fixtures were decided – and with both teams currently on a run of one win in 10 in the league – something need to change to stop them meeting in the drop zone come May. The rivalry element to this one, with two sets of passionate fans, could make this one seriously fiery. But the picture could be very different in three months.
