Shrewsbury Town defender makes 'panicking' claim ahead of Bolton visit

Town have taken seven points from their last three matches to move within striking distance of those teams just outside the relegation zone and defender Nurse described confidence as now being “through the roof” at a club which just weeks ago looked doomed to the drop.

Saturday’s visit of Bolton, which begins a run of six home matches in eight, offers another chance to take down one of the division’s big guns after previous wins at Croud Meadow over Birmingham City and Wrexham.

Nurse is bullish about their chances. He said: “We treat every game like it is a cup final. We have beaten the big teams before and the way we are playing at the moment we have every belief we can go and do it again.

“We are going into it with an underdog mentality. People see us down there and think it will be an easy game but we thrive on that because we know what we can do. Given results, especially against the big teams, we think we can win every game.

“There is only one way for us, which is up. The teams above us may be panicking, they don’t want to be down there.”

Town sit just three points from the safety line, having been 10 points adrift in December. Their form since the turn of the year ranks among the top-10 in the division.

Nurse credits Ainsworth, who replaced Paul Hurst as head coach in November, with injecting huge belief into the dressing room.

“It is just the way he is,” he said. “It makes you want to work hard for him and get results.

“Since the gaffer has come in he has given us a load of confidence and the belief we can get out of this. I think results are showing that. 

“The team looks far together, we are grinding results out and if we don’t win we aren’t losing. I think without a doubt we will get out of this. Everyone believes we can do it.”

Nurse, meanwhile, hopes his own performance in Tuesday’s 1-1 draw at Reading will lead to more game time. The 25-year-old, who spent nearly two years on the sidelines after suffering two serious knee injuries back-to-back, has been limited to just three league starts so far but stepped in against the Royals after Aaron Pierre picked up a niggle in training.

“I have been training since the start of the season, biding my time and waiting for the opportunity,” he said. 

“The injury isn’t a thought in my head anymore. I feel strong. It is just missing the match fitness, so hopefully I can get a bit more of that now.

“I feel like I have a lot to offer and I just want the chance to prove that. Hopefully I have shown him enough to trust me now and I can get more time on the pitch.”