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So far in this competition the Shrews have just managed to get through. In the first round they beat conference outfit 3-0, in the second round they scraped through. 1-1 at the end of normal time a goal on the 94th minute got the 'golden goal' to send them through to play Port Vale. It was the same story with it being a 1-1 draw at the end of normal time. This time a 110th minute goal stopped us from meeting Vale at Vale for the 4th time this season. And for a reminder, We cruised through all of our last 3 rounds. A Rob Hulse hat-trik saw the Alex win 4-0 at Mansfield and saw the 150 loyal fans coming home happy. In the second round we knocked out the holders Blackpool with goals from Ashton and Jack in a dull 2-0 win. The Area Quarter-Final was far from dull as we cruised to a 8-0 win over Doncaster. Vaughan, Ashton(3), Jack(2), Jones and Lunt got the 8 goals as it equalled our biggest
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This provides us with our only real chance to get to a proper final at the 'National' stadium since Wembley 1997. Tonight is the area semi finals. Bury and Carlisle play in the other Northern Semi. The team from that game play us in the Area final which consists of 2 legs, home and away. The winner of that goes onto play the winner of the Southern section which consists of Bournemouth, Bristol City, Brentford and Cambridge. So we are 3 games from the big time.
Dario has showed his intent on winning it saying kids won't be tested at this level, only first team players. He's only really made 1 master change his season and that was Lee Bell in for Brammer at home to Blackpool in the 2nd round. Shrewsbury are also taking the chance as a chance of real sucess and will be taking it seriously. It seems all the Northern teams left are after that place to Cardiff. The southerners don't care - typical southerners.
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First though lets concerntrate on this. The team tonight WILL include former Shrewsbury favourite, David Walton. Stitch signed from Shrewsbury for £700k and since November after a year ruined by injurys the Geordie is a key roll in the reds side. Aussie keeper, Danny Milosevic, will go straight into the side only 24 hours after signing onloan from Leeds with Bankole and Ince injured. Foster is set to miss out with Walker getting his chance. Sodje will also be dropped to the bench again as Tierney returns, Dario explaining his exclusion as 'Huddersfield having big players' which were better handled by Sodje. In the midfield it will probably stay the same although Dario may give into the temptation of playing Rix instead of Vaughan. Up front 26 goal partnership Steve Jones and Rob Hulse, who have hit a perfect partnership off this season, will continue as Jones has 4 goals in 3 games and Hulsey has assisted the last 3 league goals.
Shrewsbury will bring back Ian Woan. Highly rated Luke Rodgers and Nigel Jemson will feature up ron and John Van Blerk, what a name, might figure. In other words we don't have a clue about their team.
Tonight the Alex have sold over 1,500 tickets in an all ticket game, you now have 2 hours left to claim your ticket and the Alex take over Shrewsbury, lets not come back with the Shrews Blues.
Prediction :<Shrewsbury 0-2