Defender backing Town to be better at Preston
Defender Mickey Demetriou believes the Shrewsbury Town side that heads to Preston North End for Saturday’s FA Cup Second Round tie is a much different one to that which travelled their in September.Back then, Micky Mellon’s newly-shaped team lost 1-0 in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy, but former Kidderminster Harriers man Demetriou believes that his side are better equipped than they were on their last visit.
Demetriou said: “When we went up there in the JPT it was early doors in the season and with 17 new players it was going to be tough to gel that quick.
“We came close and missed a few chances. Hopefully we can go there, play well and get the victory.
“We’re a better side now. We knew back then that we had the potential to become a good team and 15 or so games on from that defeat, we have shown how well we have gelled.”
Town are one of the form teams in Sky Bet League 2 but know that a visit to a side harbouring Championship ambitions will prove a tough test.
“We have looked at videos of them and been told how they are going to play," said Demetriou.
"They’re on a good league run at the moment and are obviously a good side but what ever form they are in it will be different from the cup so hopefully we can go and cause another upset.
“Hopefully our away form will pick up and Saturday would be a great place to start”
Demetriou, who enjoyed FA Cup success last season with Kidderminster, is hoping that the positive atmosphere around the dressing room will shine through at Deepdale.
“Our dressing room is brilliant," he said.
“All the lads are on top form and we are sticking together as one unit.
“The lads who aren’t playing are training very hard to get into the team and it pushes the lads who have got the shirts to train even harder which makes for great competition in the squad.”
And following a run through to the last-16 in the Capital One Cup this season, Demetriou insists that when it comes to cup football, anything can happen.
He added: “We’ve obviously beaten teams like Norwich, Blackpool and even Leicester away from home so hopefully we can cause another upset and get ourselves in the next round cup."