Wycombe Wanderers boss Gareth Ainsworth believes this weekend’s match against Shrewsbury Town will be a ‘tough game’ despite their impressive record over their opponents.
The fixture will be the 30th time that both clubs would have played each other, with the Chairboys losing just one of their 15 home fixtures against the Shrews.
In all, they are unbeaten at Adams Park in the league over the Shropshire side, with their only blemish being in the Football League Trophy, when they lost 7-0 to Shrewsbury in October 2008.
Grant Holt, who would go on to play in the Premier League for Norwich City and Aston Villa respectively, scored five in that game.
Speaking to the press ahead of Saturday's game, Ainsworth said: “It will be a tough game.
“Shrewsbury are a big team physically and they’ve made some really good signings this summer.
“I think we need to be aware that they will not be the Shrewsbury of last year.
“They're stronger, a lot more solid, we need to break them down and we need to be resilient.
“Steve Cotterill is a good manager, he’s managed at a very good level and after a couple of seasons, it looks like he’s got a good outfit there.”
Ainsworth also believes that Steve Cottrell’s men will go to have a ‘good season’ this year after they avoided relegation in the previous campaign.
Steve Cotterill’s side finished 18th in 2021/22 after spending most of the first-half of the campaign in and around the relegation zone.
But 11 points from their final nine games, which included three consecutive wins in March, helped his team move away from the trap door.
So far this campaign, they are winless and goalless in the league, but progressed to the second round of the Carabao Cup, after they defeated Carlisle United 3-2 at the Meadow during the week.
Ainsworth continued: “I think Shrewsbury will have a good season.
“They have signed Chey Dunkley, Moore, Jordan Shipley, Tom Bayliss, and Julien Dacosta to name a few, so they have got a very strong outfit this season.
It's going to be hot.
— Wycombe Wanderers (@wwfcofficial) August 12, 2022
We've taken steps to ensure the comfort of fans around Adams Park tomorrow; please take on board plenty of water during your visit!#WYCvSHR
“Giving a manager time has paid dividends and chopping and changing all the time, and of course, I’ll say this as I’m a long-serving manager, but it doesn't get what you need.
“If you get the right person in charge, which I do think they have with Steve Cotterill, I don’t think that they will be the same side as they were last year.”
The game will kick-off at 3pm.
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