Gavin Cowan hints at potential changes as Shrewsbury Town eye home comfort in huge Barrow showdown
These are the games that will define Shrewsbury Town's season and their bid to retain Football League status.
Upon his arrival, head coach Gavin Cowan has issued a rallying call for his side to "go to war" in the remaining fixtures - and tonight, they face nothing short of a crucial battle at the Meadow.
Salop return to their own ground, which has been a fortress compared to their away form, having earned 17 of their 23 points in League Two so far this season at home.
There is no escaping the significance of Barrow's visit. The Bluebirds sit a point and a place above Town in the table and are desperate to arrest a slide that has seen them lose their last five league games.
In crucial six-pointers like this, the Meadow has yielded resilient performances for Salop, providing much-needed points. Cowan's side will be looking to replicate the efforts shown against Crawley Town, Newport County, Harrogate Town, and even Barnet in his first game in charge.
Like Salop, Barrow have struggled on the road, losing their last three league games away from home and winning just once in their last eight.
Salop themselves have won only one of their last 13 league matches and need a victory to stretch their advantage over the bottom two, with the gap currently standing at just two points.
Cowan named an unchanged side at Colchester United last Saturday, introducing five second-half substitutes during the defeat.
Asked if there might be changes for Barrow, he said: "We have to assess the group. We have to see where they are, what their numbers have hit on their stats. We have to make sure that everybody who's playing on Tuesday is ready to go.
"But I think definitely, there's been some players coming on, giving some really big performances and some good energy.
"So potentially, yes, the squad is bloated. There's too many players in the squad, but we need to assess the group, we need to look at the performances.
"I thought we brought a lot of energy in the second-half, players coming into the game, being really brave, being courageous. And that was the difference, that little bit of confidence, that little bit of, not so much fear.
"Just a little bit more confidence going into that final third and I think we'll be all right."
Sam Clucas is a doubt after being withdrawn after 18 minutes at Colchester with a hamstring issue. Meanwhile, the club is hopeful Sam Stubbs will return to action after missing the trip to Essex with a minor knee injury.
Matt Cox has shown no signs of wanting to give up the gloves. He was helpless in Salop's defeat at Colchester but performed well when called into action.
It will be interesting to see who Cowan turns to in midfield to replace Clucas and whether there will be any shake-up in attack, with Iwan Morgan impressing from the bench and testing the goalkeeper at Colchester.
This will be Barrow's first trip to Shrewsbury in the Football League since November 1969. Salop have won just one of their last six meetings with the Cumbrians in the Football League, going winless in three since a 1-0 home victory in December 1968.
The reverse fixture earlier this season ended in a goalless draw, as the two sides cancelled each other out in the industrial port town of Barrow-in-Furness.
Predicted Shrewsbury Town XI (5-2-1-2): Cox; Kabia, Hoole, Boyle, Stubbs, Berkoe; Ruffels, Perry; McDermott, Marquis, Morgan.
Subs: Brook, Anderson, Benning, Ojinnaka, Sang, Scully, Lloyd.
Barrow: Stanway; Thompson, Raglan, Shipley; Newby, Smith, McCann, Jackson; Earing; Rose, Fletcher
Big match prediction: Home win
