Pompey are potentially just 2 wins away from promotion to the Championship after their midweek draw with Derby County at Fratton Park. They’ll be hoping to secure 1 of those when they welcome Shrewsbury Town to PO4 this weekend.
Pompey are potentially just 2 wins away from promotion to the Championship after their midweek draw with Derby County at Fratton Park.
They’ll be hoping to secure 1 of those when they welcome Shrewsbury Town to PO4 this weekend…
SUMMARY
John Moushino’s side now have 3 home games left until the end of the campaign.
Shrewsbury Town, who are under new management, are the next team the Blues face.
MANAGER
Paul Hurst is at the helm for The Shrews.
As a player, Hurst was a left back between 1993 to 2008, spending his entire career at Rotherham United barring a brief loan spell with Burton Albion in his final year as a player. In total, Hurst made 438 appearances for The Millers and scored 13 goals.
After retirement from playing, Hurst became joint manager with former teammate Rob Scott at Ilkeston Town, Boston United and Grimsby Town in 2011.
He became sole manager for Grimsby at the end of 2013 and at the end of the 2015/16 National League season, he led The Mariners to promotion via the Play-Offs.
Hurst moved on to become manager of Shrewsbury Town in October 2016 saving the club from relegation from League One in his first season, while also taking them to the EFL Trophy and League One play-off finals in 2018.
Hurst left Shrewsbury to join Ipswich Town in May 2018 but he was sacked in October after a poor start to the season. After a spell as Scunthorpe United boss, he returned to Grimsby as manager at the end of 2020.
After 3 seasons, Hurst was sacked by Grimsby with the club in 21st place.
On the 24th of January this year, Shrewsbury confirmed the reappointment of Hurst as head coach and since his return, Hurst has picked up 4 wins from 13 games.
ONE TO WATCH
Left back Mal Benning is our one to watch.
Benning began his career with Walsall and had loan spells with Evesham United and York City. He featured 53 times for Walsall before signing with Mansfield Town in May 2015.
Benning spent six seasons with Mansfield, making 251 appearances in all competitions. He signed for Port Vale in June 2021 and helped the club to win promotion out of League Two via the Play-Offs in 2022.
He transferred to Shrewsbury Town in August of last year.
Throughout his playing career, Benning has recorded 20 goals and 31 assists from defence. He wears the number 3 shirt for The Shrews.
TOP SCORER
The club’s current top scorer is Daniel Udoh.
He started his youth career at Luton Town and Stevenage before signing on non-contract terms with Kidderminster Harriers. In his sole year at the club, Udoh went out on loan to 5 different clubs.
The Nigerian also played for IIkeston and League One side Crewe Alexandra. After another 4 loan spells with different clubs and not being offered a new contract by Crewe, the forward signed for AFC Telford United of the National League North.
In May 2019, Udoh signed for local rivals Shrewsbury Town on a 2-year deal. He scored the opening goal against Liverpool in an FA Cup 3rd Round tie at Anfield on the 9th of January, 2022. Udoh finished the 2021/22 season as The Shrews’ top goalscorer with 16 in all competitions.
With 7 league goals and 4 assists so far this campaign, Udoh wears the number 11 shirt.
CURRENT FORM
The Shrews currently sit 17th in the table, 31 points behind the Blues at the top.
After ex-Pompey player Matthew Taylor was relieved of his managerial duties, leaving the club in 17th position, Hurst has since secured the club 4 wins and 4 draws, whilst suffering 5 defeats to return a 30.8% win rate. Their last 5 games have produced 2 victories, 2 draws and 1 defeat.
This means The Shrews have not achieved a place in the league higher than 17th since the beginning of January.
In this season’s reverse fixture in Shropshire, it was Pompey who came out on top with a 3-0 win thanks to a goal from Marlon Pack and a brace from Abu Kamara.
Can the Blues move to within just 1 victory away from promotion?
Express FM will have you covered with all of the unmissable action when Pompey Live returns this Saturday (April 6th) afternoon from 2pm.
Kick-off: 3pm!
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