Lincoln v Shrewsbury: Town bid for a season first

Town have put in good performances on occasion, but they have not managed to produce consistent results with a string of victories yet this campaign.

So with the momentum of a 3-2 win against Reading fresh in their memories, Town will look to do that for the first time this season when they head to Sincil Bank.

The victory over the Royals was much-needed, and it involved several superb goals.

It meant Town have now gone seven points from nine away from home since Paul Hurst took over.

One of the players who has been imperative has been Mal Benning.

The defender has not had it all his own way since arriving in Shropshire in the summer having spent a lot of the first part of the season out of the team.

But he has been excellent in recent times and he puts that down to being professional.

“I put it down to staying focused,” Benning said.

“Early on in my career at Mansfield, I was playing week in and week out so I was very much used to that.

“But I had a spell Port Vale before we got promoted (where I was not playing), but it is just about staying ready, that is my advice to any young players.

“As frustrating as it can be you have to stay on top of your work and be ready for any chance that does come your way.

“You might not take it to begin with, but then another chance will come and football changes very quickly, so you just have to be ready and stay on top of what you can.

“I do like going to the gym and looking after myself, but it is more the fact that when you are not playing you have to be careful of what you eat sometimes as you can get a bit lethargic. It is about being as professional as you can be.”

Since Hurst has come into Shrewsbury they have changed formation – they now play a 4-2-3-1 rather than the 3-5-2 they played before.

And Benning has had to switch from wing-back to full-back, but which one is his favourite?

“It is a tough one because as a left-back I see myself as an attacking left-back,” he said.

“So everyone would say the left wing-back is that role, but I feel the way the gaffer has got us going now with the players in front of me,

“I feel like I have got a good connection with Shippers (Jordan Shipley) and Baylo (Tom Bayliss).

“It is a tough question, to be honest, but I would probably say left-back to an extent but if I am playing left wing-back and we are attacking loads I enjoy that massively as well.

“As a left wing-back, you have got to be up and down constantly. There are pros and cons to both.”

Aaron Pierre picked up a groin injury on Saturday against Reading so will not feature in this game.