- Team form: Shrewsbury Town have won just one of their last five matches (D0, L4)
- Recent form: Oldham Athletic have won three of their last five (D1, L1) and are nine places above Shrewsbury in the table
- Home form: Shrewsbury have lost two of their last three home matches, only beating Tranmere Rovers (1-0) in that sequence
Direct Oldham to outplay disciplined Shrews
Oldham Athletic can exploit the counter-attacking nature of Shrewsbury Town’s game and push their promotion hopes when the two mid-table sides clash on Saturday. Gavin Cowan has performed something of a surgical operation on Shrewsbury’s playing style since taking the helm in late January 2026.
He has made the Shrews a much more compact team that is set up to transition quickly rather than build up a controlled offensive sequence. George Lloyd is the top scorer for the Shrews with four goals in 38 League Two appearances, a solid if unspectacular return that typifies Shrewsbury’s general lack of penetration in the fourth tier. Cowan’s tweaks have certainly made the team tougher to score against while allowing them to press with a greater purpose when they win the ball.
Mellon’s Oldham will be looking to outplay their hosts
Tactical setup
Oldham have not been as prolific as the league leaders this term, but Micky Mellon’s 3-5-2 system has ensured they are a direct, aggressive side that can make life difficult for opponents. His wing-backs provide a great deal of width, which is maximised by the pace and aggression of his forwards pressing up the field.
Forwards and standings
Kane Drummond has bagged three of the last nine Oldham goals in five appearances, but Mike Fondop-Talum remains the club’s main marksman with eight in 37 games. The Latics are ninth in the League Two standings with 65 points from 41 games while Shrewsbury are 18th with 44, but Oldham are much the more in-form side and are worthy favorites to win this contest at 2.2.
Latics can pick holes in Shrews’ plan
They have won three and drawn one of their last five games and beat Colchester United 3-1 in their most recent away match.
The two sides drew 2-2 at Boundary Park five months ago and there may be some similarities in the final score on Saturday.
- Shrewsbury have won only one of their last five (D0, L4) and have lost two of their last three at home, only beating Tranmere (1-0) in that run.
- Oldham have split their last two away games with a win and a loss, but we believe the greater dynamism and form of Mellon’s men will see them out in this matchup.
