Bernard McNally column: Shrewsbury squad will be needed over Christmas period

With a lot of players coming in, it gives them that little bit more fitness if they’re called upon in the next few weeks.

Everybody will be used over Christmas and there may be people who have been on the bench lately who get a chance in the first XI.

They may be feeling a bit sorry for themselves that they’re not in the team, but football changes so quickly.

One minute you’re on the bench and then the next you’re scoring the winning goal!

Players have to keep themselves mentally bright, but also the fitness levels have to be up there.

So, for those that haven’t played so much, that will have been a boost for them to give them the match fitness they need.

It was a shame to lose on penalties, but good for the fans that went down to see some of the up-and-coming stars from City.

Town now head to Oxford on Saturday and that looks a tough fixture but I think they all are now at this time of year now everyone is in full swing.

I think it could be good for us. The team will be on a high after getting through in the FA Cup, but it’s back to the bread and butter of League One. I think there is a growing confidence within the side and they are beginning to realise that they can put wins together.

Hopefully the more they keep doing that, it increases the strength and the resilience within the side.

Oliver Norburn is big part of this team, so it’s a relief that he will be able to play.

Nobody likes to see someone get sent off and have to serve a three-match ban for something they didn’t do.

I was very unsure about it at the time, but Sam came out straight away after and said they would be looking at it.

It wasn’t the best first half against Mansfield, but sometimes you have to grind your way through things and thankfully even with 10 men we managed to notch two goals.

It was really pleasing, particularly for Laurent, who seems to be ghosting in from midfield and getting the goals. He has that knack of arriving late.

We went down to 10 men and it looked like that might be the nail in the coffin for us.

But there’s that camaraderie that I feel is slowly coming together with this side.

It was a pleasing performance and now we can go to Bristol City in the next round and enjoy that, and I’m sure our supporters will.

We’d all like to get a Liverpool or Manchester United, but it would be even better if we could get through this round and then get them.

They’re a Championship side and expected to win, and that could play in to our hands a little bit.

The players will be going down there fired up, there’s no doubt about it. Why can’t we go there and cause an upset?