by The Rovers Review

Darren Ferguson is expecting a tough test as his side head to second-placed Shrewsbury Town.

Ferguson was full of praise for Paul Hurst who has turned a Shrewsbury side tipped for relegation into promotion hopefuls,

"They're a very good, very difficult team. They've had an excellent season - deservedly so - their managers done a fantastic job with the group of players and how they play.
"I watched them on Tuesday - I don't know if they'll play the way they did then - they did change it for whatever reasons, but it's going to be a big test for us!"

After signing earlier this week, Shane Blaney isn't expected to feature after Ferguson declares the Irish center back was primarily signed to use in the development squad for now.

The Rovers boss also confirmed that Alex Kiwomya has successfully made it through a week's training and they expect him to return to first-team action for the Portsmouth game on the 3rd February 2018.

Shrewsbury have only lost 4 times in 26 league games this season, and to make things harder for Rovers they have the best home record in the league. 50% of games that Shrewsbury have played at home have finished in a one-nil victory, while Rovers have a 23.1% record of losing their away games by one-nil.

In the reverse fixture in September 2017, Rovers lost 2-1 at home following a late strike from Arthur Gnahoua to take all three points from a distraught Rovers on the night.

The last time Rovers visited Shrewsbury's Greenhous Meadow they won were 2-1 victors in what was Ferguson's first match in charge in October 2015. Goals from James Coppinger and Keshi Anderson that night canceled out Nathaniel Knight-Percival's goal.