Shrewsbury v Lincoln - Match preview

The first of four remaining fixtures – including three home clashes – takes place at Montgomery Waters Meadow this evening as Town host fourth-placed Lincoln City, writes Lewis Cox.

Town confirmed their place in League One next season by securing safety with a fine 1-0 victory at Blackpool on Saturday, which ticked off the job Steve Cotterill was brought in to accomplish in November.

It ended a difficult run of three straight defeats – for the first time in the absent manager’s short tenure – as Salop somewhat struggled to mathematically get over the line.

It felt like a sense of achievement at sunny Bloomfield Road on Saturday, but assistant boss Wilbraham was keen to stress that there were still games to compete in and points to claim between now and May 9. It would take two wins and a draw from the final four matches to breach the 60-point mark in the third tier for just the second time since 1990.

“We still want to finish the season strongly. There are four games to go against some difficult teams,” said Town stand-in boss Wilbraham.

“I’ll probably get to the end of the season and then look back at it. At the moment we’re so embroiled within it all, I don’t really want to start speaking that way yet.

“But yes I am proud, obviously, of the job we’ve all done. I’m really pleased that we’re mathematically safe, it’s a great achievement.”

Asked how getting over the line will affect Town’s players ahead clashes to come, the former Bristol City and Rochdale striker added: “It probably takes a little bit of the pressure (off), if there was any in the back of the lads’ heads, so that’s good because we can go into the last games and give it our all and know we want to finish strongly.

“The gaffer will be looking at next season already, because I know what he’s like, the players still have a chance to impress him and that’s the aim going into these four games.”

While Shrewsbury may have confirmed their status last time out, there is plenty on the line for the visiting Imps this evening.

If Michael Appleton’s side win and rivals Portsmouth lose, then Lincoln will have their play-off place confirmed. Automatic promotion looks out of reach for the Imps, who trail the top two by 10 points with four games left. But their cushion in the play-offs stands at four points.

And, despite losing to Hull on Saturday – a result which confirmed the Tigers’ promotion – the Imps are back to form after a little wobble.

Appleton’s side had not won in six before responding with three straight wins to keep their promotion dream alive.

The Imps’ key men include talented loan attackers Brennan Johnson and Morgan Rogers, from Nottingham Forest and Manchester City respectively, as well as Dutch defender Lewis Montsma and midfielder Jorge Grant.

Shrewsbury had a number of star performers of their own in the return to winning ways at the seaside on Saturday.

Defender and goal hero Matthew Pennington led the way, but just behind him was captain Ollie Norburn, who put in one of his most complete displays in some time.

The 28-year-old was back to his best and receive praised from Wilbraham, who revealed the duo spoke before the match about the skipper’s influence.

“I had a good chat with Norbs in the dressing room before the game, we were talking about a few things,” said Wilbraham.

“I reminded him, because when I think of Norbs and how well he’s done this season, I always think of the Blackpool game at home, how good he was.

“It was one of my first games and I remember thinking how well he does the job for the team. And the gaffer mentioned after (Saturday’s) game, that it was a really selfish, unsung hero performance.

“He was back there on his own, the gaffer mentioned him clearing a wide free-kick and being the first person to press the clearance.

“He was unbelievable, really captained the team like the manager always expects him to do and everyone else follows. When he takes care of his own performance like that, everyone else follows suit.”