Shrewsbury Town boss defiant ahead of huge game at Peterborough United

Gareth Ainsworth (left) and Posh boss Darren Ferguson (centre). Photo Joe Dent/theposh.com.

Shrewsbury Town boss Gareth Ainsworth remains defiant about his side’s chances of avoiding relegation from League One.

The Shrews pitch up at the Weston Homes Stadium on Saturday on the back of three single-goal home defeats which left them seven points adrift of safety.

It’s possibly make-or-break time for Ainsworth’s side as they face fellow strugglers Bristol Rovers and Exeter City after tackling Posh.

Ainsworth told the Shropshire Star: “It looks bad especially as a few of the teams around us won last weekend, but there is a long way to go and plenty of twists and turns to come.

"Seven wins in our 13 games would see us safe and it’s definitely doable. We face eight of the bottom nine in the next few games, so it is really exciting stuff. No one stays down when I am around and no-one expected us to beat Birmingham and Wrexham so you can only prepare for the next game.”

Shrewsbury are one of only two teams to have beaten League One title favourites Birmingham City (3-2) this season and they also saw off high flying Wrexham (2-1).

Saturday’s visitors to London Road have won just twice away from home including a recent 2-1 success at Rotherham United. They also won 5-3 at Crawley in October.

John Marquis, who played for Darren Ferguson at Doncaster, is Shrewsbury’s top scorer with eight League One goals. Ainsworth recently returned to his former club Wycombe Wanderers to sign experienced forward David Wheeler.