Shrewsbury ring the changes for Saturday’s trip to fellow Midlands Three West (North) strugglers Leek – a match skipper Mattie Morris admits they need to be looking to win.
Leek are the only side currently below the Sundorne Castle men in the table, with Morris quick to highlight the importance of a good result in Staffordshire.
“A win on Saturday would open up more of a gap between ourselves and Leek and means we could concentrate on chasing the teams above us,” said Morris, who felt his team failed to do themselves justice in last weekend’s 14-6 defeat at home to leaders Camp Hill.
Neil Williams and Nick Challinor are both out after suffering cuts to the eye in last weekend’s game while JJ Beasley is also ruled out owing to a neck injury.
Mark Turner comes in at prop, Damien Kinney switches to hooker and Sam Wycherley is drafted in at flanker.
Neil Davies is preferred to Kiwi Sam McLernon, available for the last time in the league before flying home, while in the backs Will Jones and John Wareham replace Beasley and Martin Edwards, also injured.
SHREWSBURY 1st XV: D. Griffiths, D. Kinney, M. Turner, P. Wintle, S. Crippen, S. Wycherley, R. Hodnett, S. Evitts, N. Davies, M. Morris, W. Jones, S. Barnett, J. Wareham, J. Adams, J. Pugh. Reps: S. McLernon, W. Mottram.
Whitchurch meet Cheltenham North for the first time at Edgeley Park in Midlands Two West on Saturday. See page 107 for rugby review.