Ipswich Town entertain Shrewsbury Town at Portman Road this afternoon. It's a chance to get back to winning ways in the league for Town after the disappointment of losing to Accrington Stanley last weekend. MIKE BACON takes a look at the Shrews.
SO FAR...
It's been a tough start to the League One campaign for Shrewsbury, who sit second bottom, two points behind Town in the standings.
Two draws and a win last month did see them make a mini climb up the table, but two league defeats in their last two games - to Wycombe and Bolton - have seen the Shropshire side drop into the bottom four.
During the week, like Town however, they had a fine EFL Trophy win, beating a Wolves U-21 side 3-1.
Shrewsbury are currently in 22nd place in the League One last six-game form guide, Town are eighth.
MEET THE BOSS...
Steve Cotterill is now back full time in the dug-out as manager of Shrewsbury.
He has suffered badly from coronavrius and admits he is still not completely better.
"I am still not right," he told BBC Sport. "I am a bit fat in the face and around the middle. I don't like that. I still have some scarring on my lungs."
Cotterill received more than 2,000 texts and goodwill messages as he battled the virus, but he's back now and egging his side on for more 'anger' in their play.
After losing to Bolton last weekend, Cotterill said: “I don’t sense any lapses in confidence. If you look at it – we need to start almost more angry with ourselves a little bit.
“Because once the anger kicks in, we then end up being even better in the game."
HEAD-TO-HEAD
Town have a very good head-to-head record against the Shrews.
You have to go back to 1987 to find the last time Shrewsbury beat Ipswich and on the 27 occasions the two teams have met, Town have only been beaten three times.
The last time the two teams met was at the end of last season and both teams at the time were two of the lowest-scoring in the division.
It finished 0-0!
And Shrewsbury are struggling again this season in the goalscoring stakes. Only Doncaster, who are below them in the table, have scored less than the Shrews' eight-goal league tally so far. Daniel Udoh leads their scoring charts with three strikes in league and cup.
THE ODDS
Ipswich are hot favourites with all the bookies for this one, which is not surprising as Paul Cook's men come off a big 6-0 home win last time they played at Portman Road.
The Shrews have yet to win on their travels.
TOWN WIN: 3/4; DRAW: 5/2; SHREWS WIN: 15/4
DID YOU KNOW?
The Ditherington Flax Mill in Shrewsbury was the first iron-framed building in the entire world, giving it the title ‘the grandfather of all skyscrapers’.
Built in 1796, this Grade I listed building is known locally as The Maltings after its later and better known use.
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