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Preview: Grimsby v Shrewsbury

By: Alex Green
Date: 24/01/2008

THE run continues and so does the unobtainable optimism which surrounds this mecca of football. Oh yeah were playing Shrewsbury they're above us in the league and they're pretty good.

Home > 2007-2008 Season > Previews > Shrewsbury (h)


The Opposition

Overview

Being seven points behind the play-off places Shrewsbury will hope to go one better then last season. Last season's play-off final defeat against Bristol Rovers seems not to have taken too much out of the Shrews. A successful start to the season thumping Lincoln 4-0 on the opening day and only narrowly losing to Fulham in Carling Cup, the confidence from last season seems to has followed in to the latest campaign. Since then the wheels have been shaken but not destroyed, a series of inconsistent performances have kept them in the running for a possible return to Wembley but some Shrews are still wondering if this team can emulate last year's finale (just a little better). Gary Peters (left) once manager of Preston has assembled a squad which has made great in roads at their new home but work is still to be done.

The Team
Peters has rung in the changes during pre-season with only 4 players surviving to face Lincoln on the opening day from the team which had taken to the Wembley turf only three months before. Colin Murdock (left), Stuart Nicholson (WBA) and Jimmy Ryan (Liverpool) have all come in to bolster the squad while the Shrews boss has also been able to let striker Fola Onibuje go after disappointing since his arrival in the summer while Derek Asamoah has made a £50,000 move to Nice. Up front Shrewsbury seem to have found the elusive strike force which Buckley has been searching for, Dave Hibbert and Cooke have struck up a fearsome strike force with a combined total of four over two league games making an impressive goal ratio even with Cooke now been sidelined with a hamstring for three months. As such Peters has been experimenting with a strike partner for Hibbert with both Nicholson (now departed) and Symes been used giving something for Buckley to consider on Saturday.

Key Player
As the same as earlier this season young Kelvin Langmead (left) is the one to worry about. At the young tender age of 22 he has spent most of his young career finding his feet in the lower leagues before signing with Shrewsbury last season. The youngster once of Preston has impressed at Shrewsbury with his tireless work rate and constant running. Describe back in Preston as a battering ram Kelvin won much praise for his performance against Lincoln on the opening day and been consistent ever since for the Shrews. His link up play with the forwards has been a key to Shrewsbury’s success of late with a talent for picking the right pass at the right time. Oh and he looks a little like Paul Scholes if you squint your eyes.

Recent Form

TownShrewsbury
DDagenham(a)0-0
WWrexham(h)1-0
WStockport(a)2-1
WChesterfield(a)2-1
WChester(a)2-0
Currently 14th in League Two.
WMorecambe(h)2-0
LHereford(a)1-3
LBrentford(h)0-1
LPeterborough(a)1-2
LWycombe(h)0-1
Currently 11th in League Two.

Top Scorers

TownShrewsbury
Danny North6
Hibbert10

Team News

TownShrewsbury

  • Grimsby are not expected to make any changes from the side which drew at Dagenham last weekend.
  • Team news here
  • Probable Teams

    TownShrewsbury
    G1Barnes
    D6Fenton
    D24Atkinson
    D3Newey
    M14Hird
    M2Clarke
    M8Bolland
    M4Hunt
    M17Hegarty
    F9North
    F19Jones
    G1Garner
    D2Moss
    D23Tierney
    D22Murdock
    D12Herd
    M16Hall
    M8Langsmead
    M7Pugh
    M17Humphrey
    F32Hibbert
    F19Madjo

    Subs

    TownShrewsbury
    13Montgomery
    15Whittle
    11Boshell
    7Till
    20Taylor
    18Leslie
    21MacKenzie
    5Kempson
    24Ryan
    6Hunt

    Head to Head

    Shrewsbury are one of those sides that Grimsby normally beat at home and lose to away, although in recent years Shrewsbury have shaded the fixtures between the sides - Town have won one match out of the last 6.

    P 49 W 22 D 11 L16 F 74 A 67

    Shrewsbury Head-to-Head (23rd on The Opposition Ladder)

    Last Meeting

    Grimsby 2 Shrewsbury 1 (Tue 20th February 2007)

    Grimsby recorded what we bravely called their first defeat of the season, even though at the time we hadn't won one either and hadn't looked especially likely to. Shrewsbury went 2-0 up in the second half, before Toner gave us hope when the referee awarded Grimsby a dodgy penalty.

    Report

    Prediction

    Grimsby Town 3 Shrewsbury 1

    Reader's POMs

    Directions

    Click on the link for directions to Blundell Park (left).

    Admission Prices

    Click on the link for ticket prices to Blundell Park.

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