Gaffer looks ahead to Ewood Park trip
Shrewsbury Town boss Paul Hurst is expecting a difficult game when Town travel to Ewood Park on Saturday.
The game pits second-placed Shrewsbury against third-placed Blackburn Rovers and a win would send Town eight points clear of their Lancashire rivals.
“It’s a surprise from our point of view that we are involved in such a game, but one we are delighted to be involved in”, Paul told the Press.
“It’s a really good ground to go to against a team that are bang in form, so we know that it’s going to be a really tough test, but it’s the type of game that we certainly want to be part of.
“I think they took a little while to really get in their stride, but I think everyone would be expecting them to challenge for automatic promotion and they couldn’t be in much better form than they currently are.”
Blackburn are one of only two sides to take points from Town at home this season, drawing 1-1 at the Montgomery Waters Meadow back in September, and Paul knows all about the threats they can cause.
“They’ve got some good players as you would expect”, Hurst said.
“Ones that would be hoping that they were plying their trade higher up in the Championship, but they are in League One and they’ve got to work hard to get out of that and become Championship players again.
“The game at home I thought we played very well and on the day I think we deserved to take three points, but they did have a bit of pressure towards the end, forced the goal and we had to settle for a point.”
A large following of travelling Salopians are expected to head to Blackburn on Saturday, but Hurst doesn’t think his side will be overawed by the situation.
“I think if we suffer a defeat or put in a bad performance I don’t think it will be down to nerves or an occasion getting to the players”, said Paul.
“I think they’ve proved enough times in the season to date that when they’ve had big games they’ve handled it, so that’s pleasing from my point of view and we will have to go and put on another performance.”