Relegated duo Shrewsbury Town and Crawley Town will conclude the 2024-25 campaign with a League One clash at New Meadow on Saturday afternoon.
The Reds are seeking revenge over the Shrews after they were beaten 5-3 in a thrilling contest in the reverse fixture at Broadfield Stadium back in October.
Match preview
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Preparations for life back in League Two have already begun from Shrewsbury, whose 10-year stay in the third tier will come to an end after relegation was confirmed a fortnight ago.
The Shropshire-based outfit had something to celebrate last weekend, though, as they ended a miserable 15-game winless run by beating Barnsley 2-1 at Oakwell, courtesy of a brace from John Marquis.
That victory represented Shrewsbury’s first at the eighth time of asking under head coach Michael Appleton, who was thrilled with the “massive” effort shown from his team to grind out the win and is reportedly in talks over a new long-term deal at the club.
Shrewsbury are guaranteed to finish rock bottom of League One, but avoiding defeat on Saturday would see them extend their unbeaten run over Crawley to seven matches, while securing a win would see them complete their first league double over the Reds.
Crawley enter this contest on the back of winning successive home games against Exeter City (3-1) and Northampton Town (3-0), beating the latter last weekend, but it has not been enough to avoid relegation from League One.
Burton Albion’s 1-1 draw with Wigan Athletic on Tuesday confirmed the Reds’ immediate demotion back to League Two, after securing promotion via the playoffs last term to play third-tier football for only the second time.
Scott Lindsey has acknowledged that Crawley have not been good enough over the course of the whole season to survive, but he has taken positives from how his side ‘gave it a go’ to avoid the drop, with four wins recorded in eight games since the 52-year-old returned to the club last month.
Lindsey is keen to finish the campaign on a high by beating Shrewsbury, as he wants to “create a winning environment” ahead of next season, but the Reds travel to Shropshire having accumulated just over 37% of their third-tier points away from home this term (16), winning only two of their 10 games on the road in 2025 (D1 L8).
Team News
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Shrewsbury are set to remain without Leo Castledine, Jordan Shipley, Joshua Kayode and Dominic Gape, but Vadaine Oliver recovered from a ligament injury to feature as a substitute last weekend and he is in contention to play again against Crawley.
John Marquis has scored a team-high 11 goals this season, at least six more than any of his teammates, and the experienced forward is poised to continue in the final third with George Lloyd and Callum Stewart.
As for Crawley, goalkeeper Joe Wollacott remains sidelined through injury, and at the time of writing, it remains to be seen whether Toby Steward will have his emergency loan from Portsmouth extended for him to play one final game this weekend.
Joy Mukena, Ryan Sandford, Louie Watson and Matthew Cox are also sidelined, but Bradley Ibrahim is available to return from a one-match ban, while top scorer Rushian Hepburn-Murphy – who has nine goals to his name – is set to continue up front, as Crawley’s Player of the Season Charlie Baker keeps his spot in central defence.
Shrewsbury Town possible starting lineup:
Blackman; J. Feeney, Nsiala, Nurse; Hoole, Gilliead, Biggins, Benning; Marquis; Lloyd, Stewart
Crawley Town possible starting lineup:
Steward; Radcliffe, Conroy, Barker; Roles, Camara, Fraser, Anderson, Kelly; Hepburn-Murphy, Holohan
We say: Shrewsbury Town 2-2 Crawley Town
Both teams are merely playing for pride, but if the reverse fixture is anything to go by, an entertaining, end-to-end contest where the shackles come off could be on the cards this weekend.
Shrewsbury are looking to win back-to-back games for the first time since the beginning February, but we are backing Crawley to come away with at least a share of the spoils on this occasion.
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