Shrewsbury v Northampton: Salop seek to close the gap on the Cobblers

If you rewind a week, Shrews went to The Brick Community Stadium after back-to-back thrashings against Cambridge and Wycombe - which both finished 4-1. 

The gap to 20th place was 10 points. But a brave display in Greater Manchester on Saturday and brilliant backs-to-the-wall defensive performance against play-off hopefuls Lincoln on Boxing Day have since seen Salop slash that to six points. 

The team they trail is Northampton, and they are up next for Gareth Ainsworth's men, having won just one of their last 10 matches. 

They have a new manager, Kevin Nolan, in the dugout, but he watched his side get thrashed 4-1 by Reading on Boxing Day.

If Salop can achieve back-to-back wins, something they have not done since early in 2023, then they will be just three points behind the Cobblers with survival very much back on the agenda. 

Ainsworth had never given up hope, but when you are so far adrift so early in a season, it is difficult to remain optimistic. 

Relegation has been on the cards for some time but everything feels better after a win. 

Shrewsbury are still right up against it - but they now have hope - and as everyone knows it is the hope that kills you. 

The home form has been a problem for some time with just the four home wins in Shropshire in 2024 - before Boxing Day made it five. 

You feel results at the Meadow hold the key to Salop's safety this term. 

Clean sheets have been an issue too, but Town kept their second one of the season against Lincoln and in the last two games they have demonstrated they can be solid. 

They were better from that perspective at Wigan, and they were brilliant against the Imps. 

Town's centre-backs have come for a lot of criticism this season, and rightly so at times, you do not concede 41 goals inside 21 games while defending well.

But they have shown green shoots of positivity and maybe they have turned a corner. 

For the game against Northampton Carl Winchester remains the only player on the sidelines. He has been battling with a knee injury he picked up in training - he was running before the game against Lincoln but he might have a job to get back in the squad after their most recent result. 

George Nurse, Toto Nisiala, Joe Young and Charles Sagoe Jr all missed out on the match day 18 against the Imps - Josh Kayode returned to the squad after recovering from injury, but Salop have now got competition for places. 

When you rewind 12 months, Shrewsbury had a miserable festive period. They went to Cheltenham and lost on Boxing Day and then they produced a poor performance and result at Burton Albion a few days later - where they lost again. 

A year later, the festive period could have the opposite impact - it could propel them up the league table and give them a chance of survival. 

The performance against Northampton is irrelevant - all that matters is the result and Shrews need to make sure they are on the right side of it.