Luke Summerfield hopes to make a Wembley return trip

And, as Town prepare to launch their latest assault on the lower League knockout competition, the industrious midfielder would love nothing more than to help set up a return to the national stadium.

Summerfield – whose father Kevin had graduated from player to the Gay Meadow coaching staff at the time – was the Town mascot for Shrewsbury's first-ever trip to Wembley in the showpiece occasion of the 1996 Auto Windscreens Shield.

The game may have ended in a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Rotherham but provided Summerfield with a childhood memory to treasure.

And the 24-year-old believes a similar run in the JPT can have a positive effect on his club's League form.

"It would be nice if we could go far in the competition this year," said Summerfield.

"If you can get a bit of a run going, you never know where it can take the League form as well. It will give us some momentum and hopefully we can get through to the next round.

"It would be great to have a good run but the first priority is to get through tonight and see where we go."

Shrewsbury enter tonight's clash desperately attempting to end a goal-shy run which has seen them fail to find the net in three League encounters against Swindon, Brentford and Doncaster.

But Summerfield has taken consolation from many of his side's recent performances and believes the goals will soon flow.

"We came off disappointed at Doncaster on Saturday because we felt in the majority of the game we dictated the play well," he added.

"The early goal cost us and we struggled a little bit in the final third.

"Their early goal killed our momentum a bit but we reacted really well after that and kept the ball well.

"As a whole team, we need to be a bit more ruthless in front of goal. But the way we have played in the last two games, we know the goals will come."

Meanwhile, boss Graham Turner has outlined the case for the defence of his Shrewsbury side. Town have only conceded twice in the last three games and goalkeeper Chris Weale has rarely been called into action.

"We've been fairly solid at the back," said Turner. "Doncaster had one chance late on with a big ball over the top but generally we restricted them to very few chances.

"Any scares we had with Brentford proved to be offside and the players did what was asked of them – we kept a higher line than we did against Swindon for example.

"The two performances at Doncaster and Brentford defensively as a team were very solid."

Turner has also been pleased with the way that Telford-born Lee Collins has settled into his new surroundings after signing on loan from Barnsley two weeks ago.

"He has gone in alongside Darren Jones and they have looked very solid. Both are decent central defenders and know what the game is about," said Turner.

"For a 24-year-old, Lee has had quite a number of League games so he's an experienced lad and has joined us from a Championship club where he has had the odd outing at that level and I think he has done well for us."