Paul Hurst won't be hiding from Shrewsbury's perilous position

Town are currently sitting three points above the relegation places in 19th place.

Cheltenham Town are the side occupying the last relegation place sat in 21st position, but they have two games in hand on Shrewsbury and Darrell Clarke’s side have won their last three games.

The Robins’ form is a concern and it suggests they will get out of the relegation fight, but Charlton, who have just appointed Nathan Jones, may not.

Hurst wants his players to embrace their position in the table and ‘stand up’ to the challenge of staying in the division.

He said: “It feels like it, but one of the things I said after the game in the dressing room is that I hope that no one is hiding away from the situation in the table.

“That is not panicking, as it is far from it, let’s make sure we understand where we are at. Let’s look at the situation look at the table, see it and stand up to that challenge and embrace that challenge.

“Let’s not just go ‘oh we will be alright’ because there are still plenty of points to play for.

“But we cannot just let five or six games go by and then almost wake up and think ‘oh we are in a bit of trouble here’.”

Town fell to the second defeat at the Croud Meadow since Hurst was put in charge of the club for the second time against Wigan at the weekend.

Matt Smith was the man with the goal just before the hour-mark to put the Latics ahead and they held on for all three points. Town have improved under Hurst and, despite laying siege to the Wigan goal late on, they were unable to find that elusive goal.

“I want the right attitude and approach, and like I say across the five games I don’t think anyone can sit in front of me or have a discussion with me and say we have been rubbish or really poor,” Hurst continued. “I think there is an improvement there, but ultimately some people won’t see that because you don’t get the results or the points total that perhaps performances have deserved.

“I read something this week about only taking two points from Barnsley at home and Derby away and I am kind of scratching my head and thinking before I came in we have lost eight out of nine or something like that. You don’t suddenly turn into a side that is going to blow promotion-chasing teams away, so let’s understand that and not kid ourselves.”

A trip to Reading is on the horizon for Hurst’s men next, before they also make a midweek visit to Lincoln in another three-game week which is rounded off by a game against Blackpool at the Meadow.

Huge clashes against Port Vale, Exeter and Carlisle then follow.