Manager Reiterates It's One Half At A Time
Manager Micky Mellon has called for Shrewsbury Town to remain focused as they go in hunt of a sixth straight win in Sky Bet League 2.
Town take on in-form Exeter City at the Greenhous Meadow on Saturday (3pm kick-off) looking to close the gap on leaders Burton Albion.
The Grecians are undefeated in eight games and have moved to within a point of the play-off places.
And Micky has reiterated that, until the season is all over and done, he will continue to approach games on half at a time.
"There is plenty for us to go and get our teeth into this weekend," said Micky.
"We are really looking forward to the challenge. We have done as much preparation as we could of in the last few days, so the opportunity is there for us to go out and get three points and get another clean sheet.
"We are looking forward to get back on the pitch and be back in front of our fantastic fans again for what is another really important game.
"Regardless of what happens, we will continue to approach each match game by game and half by half until the end of the season."
The Grecians came from two goals down to beat Town in the reverse fixture at St James Park, but Micky believes that painful defeat has improved his team in the long run.
"We are a different team and a better team from that game," says Micky.
"It was a result that where at two goals up we should have went on and put the game to bed by scoring a third even fourth goal, but we didn’t and were punished.
"But there are certain defeats where you come away with the opportunity to sit down with the team and point to the experience of that game and how you will improve after that."
Shrewsbury are currently on 20 clean sheets, just one off the League 2 record for clean sheets if they can keep Exeter out at the weekend, with Swiss goalkeeper Jayson Leutwiler being at the centre of the manager's praise.
"He (Jayson) has been superb," said Micky.
"To be honest, the credit must go to Danny Coyne. I tasked him with the job of finding us a goalkeeper and he said for him Leutwiler was the best bet, that he believed he hadd the right mentality, was at the right stage of his career and the right type of person who would come in and want to improve.
"I still believe he can get better and better which is great for the club and we are delighted to have him here.
"But credit has to go to all the lads, certainly the amount of points we have is down to the basics which includes clean sheets but we have to continue that until the end of the season."
Wales Under 21 defender Dom Smith, who has been recalled from Tamworth, will be in Town's squad this weekend and the manager has insisted he would not be afraid to throw him straight in.
"Dom has come back and turned from a boy into a man," said Micky.
"I have such belief in him that I would have no hesitation even in the situation we are in of flinging him in.
"I am delighted to have him back and back among the squad, if you looked at the Dom Smith that was here when I first came in and you see the way he trains among the first team now it is clear we have another potential emerging top talent."