Sore Shrews aiming to concentrate minds

AT THE DOUBLE . . . Louis Dodds' brace was in vain against Gillingham in Sky Bet League One

SHREWSBURY Town will be guarding against consecutive league disasters even if they happen to take control against Athletic on Saturday.

That's because the Greenhous Meadow side - booed off the field after a 1-0 home defeat to Cambridge in the Checkatrade Trophy - are still reeling from losing a two-goal lead against Gillingham last week.

A brace from Louis Dodds had Salop seemingly coasting in their home game against Gillingham.

But shortly before the hour mark, Jay Emmanuel-Thomas scored the first of two goals on the day and Max Ehmer rubbed salt into the wound by grabbing a winner in the third minute of added time.

It leaves manager Micky Mellon's side fourth-bottom, with four points so far from five matches.

"Personally it's a sickener," Mellon told the Shropshire Star.

"It's a real hammer blow to go from so much control to ending up the way that it has.

"You can go through everyone and say who's not done what, but it's not the time for that. The disappointing thing for all of us is that we've got a 2-0 lead at home and we don't manage the game properly.

"We don't see it out and end up losing three goals.

"We don't deal with a corner properly (for Ehmer's goal) and it's just a heart-breaker to see it nestling in there. You're just standing there thinking 'what's happened there?'.

"There are moments in it that are basic and what we're trying to do as a club, a team, and that moment - I said to them there - they have to believe that every moment is dangerous and deal with it to the best of your ability."

Mellon was backed by his chairman Roland Wycherley at the end of last season, following a campaign in which he was forced to deal with the departures of key men Connor Goldson (Brighton) and Ryan Woods (Brentford).

A host of new signings created a bubble of optimism around the club and Mellon will hope his side can get up and running with a first away-day success of 2016-17 at SportsDirect.com Park.

PLAYER GUIDE . . .
Shrewsbury will be without defender Ryan McGivern, after he was a late call-up into Northern Ireland's squad for Sunday's World Cup qualifier against the Czech Republic.

Key men include ex-Port Vale star Dodds, last season's stand-out player Abu Ogogo, formerly of Arsenal and Dagenham, and former Fleetwood playmaker Antoni Sarcevic.

The Shrews will be hoping that on-loan Newcastle forward Ivan Toney - who played a part in Barnsley's promotion last term - can hit the target after six scoreless outings.

HEAD TO HEAD . . .

Athletic 19 wins, 12 draws, 21 defeats.

LAST MEETING . . .

Saturday, August 22, 2015: Athletic 1 (Liam Kelly pen 52), Shrewsbury 1 (James Collins 70)

TACTICS BOARD . . .

Mellon will look to be as solid as possible while no doubt trying to attack Athletic down the flanks and provide crosses for last season's 13-goal striker Andy Mangan to get on the end of.

LINE-UP . . . 4-4-2

Leutwiler; Riley, El-Abd, Lancashire, Brown; Deegan, Black, Ogogo, Dodds; Mangan, Toney.