If they can come away with at least a single point on Saturday, Wycombe Wanderers would guarantee they remain in League One beyond this season as they travel to New Meadow this weekend for a date with Shrewsbury Town.
The Shrews were beaten 3-1 by Portsmouth last Saturday, putting them six points above the relegation line in 18th and six points below Wycombe, who played to a 0-0 draw with Derby County on Wednesday.
Match preview
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A stroke of bad luck put the Shrews behind early over the weekend, and they were rarely able to get into a rhythm after that, as an own goal from captain Chey Dunkley after three minutes had them playing catch-up.
While they recovered to find an equaliser before the half-hour mark, they were sloppy in possession throughout the 90 minutes and paid for their mistakes, conceding three times from just four shots on target against them.
Under Paul Hurst this season, Shrewsbury have only claimed three points in one domestic home fixture (1-0 over Carlisle United), scoring a goal or fewer in each of their competitive games at New Meadow since the 49-year-old began his second stint as manager in late January.
Finding the back of the net has not been easy for this team throughout the domestic campaign, and that has continued with Hurst at the controls, with Salop netting the fewest goals in League One this season (31).
Shrewsbury have won three successive league contests when scoring the opening goal, suffering just one defeat in that scenario this year (2-1 versus Cambridge United in February).
They are unbeaten in their last four League One matches against Wycombe, including a 2-0 victory in this exact fixture last season.
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It was a heartbreaking weekend for the club from Buckinghamshire, who equalised one minute before the 90 versus Peterborough, only to concede a winner two minutes later in the EFL Trophy final.
Although they will not be lifting any silverware this season, they can end a four-match winless run in all competitions this weekend.
On Saturday, Matt Bloomfield's men will seek just their third away victory of 2024 and their first since defeating Reading 2-1 in early March.
Wycombe have kept their opponents off the scoresheet in four of their last five league contests, posting back-to-back clean sheets.
All of their victories this year have come when the Chairboys have scored the opening goal, while they have only suffered one defeat this year when doing so (4-2 against Barnsley).
Wycombe have been held scoreless in three of their previous four League One meetings with the Shrews, while they have not won a match at New Meadow since September 2021 (2-1).
Team News
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Jordan Shipley returned to the Shrewsbury lineup last weekend, having served his three-match suspension following his red card versus Exeter, and he wound up scoring their only goal against Portsmouth.
Elliott Bennett was in the starting 11 for only the second time this year, replacing Tunmise Sobowale, while Aiden O'Brien was on the bench to begin their match last week in favour of Shipley.
From their EFL Trophy defeat last weekend to their Wednesday encounter with Derby, four changes were made to the Wycombe starting 11, with Joe Low and Ryan Tafazolli reunited in central defence.
Nigel Lonwijk moved to left-back in their midweek fixture, while Beryly Lubala and Dale Taylor were newcomers in the midfield.
Shrewsbury Town possible starting lineup:
Marosi; Feeney, Dunkley, Flanagan, Benning; Winchester, Perry; Sobowale, Bloxham, Shipley; Udoh
Wycombe Wanderers possible starting lineup:
Ravizzoli; Grimmer, Low, Tafazolli, Lonwijk; Potts, Butcher; Scowen, McCleary, Sadlier; Kone
We say: Shrewsbury Town 2-0 Wycombe Wanderers
The Shrews have been far more consistent at home, and we believe they will be able to take advantage of a Wycombe side who are likely to be more fatigued, having already played this week and perhaps still mentally drained from losing the EFL Trophy in such dramatic fashion.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Joel Lefevre
