IF SHREWSBURY Town had not beaten Torquay 2-0 at the Greenhous Meadow at the end of September, they might have headed for Plainmoor this weekend with a serious inferiority complex.

For United had become the Shrews' 'bogey' team with an extraordinary run over the last 20 years or so.

It had not mattered whether games were at Plainmoor or at Town's old Gay Meadow or their new stadium, wins for the Shrews had become rarer than knighthoods for City bankers in the next Honours List.

Last season, when United helped knock Town out of automatic promotion then beat them in the Play-Off Semis, just about topped things off.

But under veteran manager Graham Turner, the Shrews are back up there again with another tilt for a long-awaited promotion to League One.

In goal former Preston trainee Chris Neal, now in his third season at the club, is keeping ex-Doncaster youngster Ben Smith on the bench.

Turner has a roster of adaptable defenders, with the possible exceptions of experienced Ian Sharps (Tranmere, Rotherham) and Joe Jacobson (Cardiff, Bristol Rovers, Oldham, Accrington), specialists at centre-half and left-back respectively.

The rest, including ex-Coventry starlet Jermaine Grandison, veteran Carl Regan (Barnsley, Hull, Chester, Macclesfield, MK Dons, Bristol Rovers) and long-serving Shane Cansdell-Sherriff (Leeds, Tranmere) can all play at full-back or in the middle.

And the same goes for ex-Torquay defender Reuben Hazell, who recently returned from a knee injury sustained in a challenge which saw Gulls striker Rene Howe sent off near the end of last September's match.

There's plenty of threat from midfield, notably from goalscoring winger Mark Wright, now in his best form after spells with Walsall, MK Dons, Brighton and Bristol Rovers.

Matt Richards has loads of know-how from his time with Ipswich and Walsall, Jon Taylor is a promising product of the youth scheme and Sean McAllister spent four years with Sheffield Wednesday before moving to Town in 2010.

Turner can also turn to ex-Gulls skipper Nicky Wroe, now back in contention after an injury lay-off, pacy former Derby, Hereford and Huddersfield winger Lionel Ainsworth or on-loan WBA prospect Romaine Sawyers.

Up front, the postponement of last Saturday's match against Port Vale means that lanky Marvin Morgan, signed from Aldershot last year as a replacement for Bristol Rovers-bound Matt Harrold, will again miss out on Saturday through suspension.

But Turner will not worry too much, for he has a lively pair of strikers in Terry Gornell (see Player To Watch) and ex-Aston Villa youngster Jim Collins.

Collins had a good spell on loan at Burton last season before Turner signed him, and he's responded with nine goals so far.

Young players hoping to feature in the squad include ex-trainee Connor Goldson, striker Tom Bradshaw and on-loan Cardiff midfielder Aaron Wildig, 22.