Jon Taylor hoping for MK Dons repeat as Shrewsbury Town prepare for Buckinghamshire trip

Town's last visit to Buckinghamshire saw them emerge from a thrilling rollercoaster of a game with a precious 3-2 victory on their way to League One survival.

It was an unexpected win at the time, with the Dons still harbouring faint hopes of the play-offs and Town battling to keep themselves above the division's relegation trapdoor.

Almost 10 months to the day, the teams find themselves cast in the same roles again with the hosts currently 11th – six points of the play-off places – while the visitors are four places and two points above the drop zone.

But Taylor, who is taking inspiration from that 3-2 triumph in March, said: "I would put that result right up there with my highlights of last season. It was a big win.

"Obviously they are a big club, it was a really big stadium to go to and a good pitch to play on. To win there was great and we will be looking to do that again."

The parallels with last season's encounter don't just stop with the basic league positions of the sides.

Graham Turner's team arrived in Milton Keynes last March on the back of a poor home run but having enjoyed better fortunes on the road.

Shrewsbury's supporters had enjoyed just one home win in their last eight attempts at the time while Turner's men had won two of their last three away-day jaunts prior to kick-off.

It's a feeling the fans will relate to this time around, having seen their heroes slump to a fifth straight home defeat against Leyton Orient on Tuesday night – but having plundered seven points from nine against Stevenage, Crewe and Oldham Athletic on the road.

Oddly enough, Town were coming off a 2-0 home defeat to Leyton Orient last time around too.

Of course all of this is unlikely to have any influence on the final score tomorrow, but it should serve as a reminder, if one was needed, that despite their current woes, a sorely-needed victory is by no means beyond Town's grasp.

But they will have to be far sharper up front than they were on Tuesday night if they are to triumph.

Striker Tom Eaves, who netted twice inside the opening 19 minutes last time they played the Dons, and midfielder Aaron Wildig both missed chances against Orient in midweek as Town failed to find the net for the fourth time in their last six games.

Bolton loanee Eaves finished with an impressive tally of six goals from 10 games in his first spell at Shrewsbury last season – including his brace against the Dons.

The 21-year-old has not faired as well in his second loan spell so far, and after scoring on his 'second debut' at Stevenage he has since gone six games without a goal.

But Taylor is backing Eaves to get back on the goal trail sooner rather than later.

He said: "He scored twice last time we played MK Dons which was really good.

"Hopefully he will score again soon. When he gets one I think he will get a few more. He just needs that confidence of getting one first."

Town will be without injured duo Luke Summerfield and Darren Jones.

MK Dons look set to hand Everton loanee Chris Long his senior debut up front. The England Under-20 star has been brought in to replace Chelsea forward Patrick Bamford who has moved on loan to Derby.