Preview: Forest Green Rovers vs. Shrewsbury Town - prediction, team news, lineups

Forest Green Rovers will be looking to build on returning to winning ways last time out when they host Shrewsbury Town in the EFL Trophy on Tuesday.

The visitors, meanwhile, were defeated 2-0 by Carlisle United in their last match.

Match preview

Having been relegated from League One last season, Forest Green would have been hoping to compete at the top end of the table this time around, but their start has suggested otherwise despite beating Sutton United on Saturday.

Strangely, the Green have lost all three of their home games in League Two so far this season, with all seven of their points gained across their three away trips. Clearly, then, David Horseman will be hoping for a much better performance and result at The New Lawn in midweek.

Harvey Bunker's 63rd-minute strike ultimately got his side out of a hole from their trip to Sutton at the weekend, with Troy Deeney making his first start for the club since joining as a player-coach earlier this month.

Forest Green won all three of their group games in this competition last season before losing on penalties to Cheltenham Town in the first knockout round, so they will be aiming to make it out of the group once again as a minimum aim.

Shrewsbury, meanwhile, saw their stop-start form continue when they lost 2-0 to Carlisle at the weekend. Matthew Taylor's side began the season with a win against Cheltenham, but they have since lost, won, lost, won and lost their following five matches, seeing them sit in 14th place in the table.

The Shrews have become a stable side in League One in recent years, with this being their ninth consecutive season competing at that level, rarely threatening to be involved in any drama at either end of the table since losing 2-1 to Rotherham United in the playoff final five years ago.

Indeed, last season's 12th-placed finish was the first time they have managed to end up in the top half since that disappointment at Wembley, but they will require greater consistency over the coming months if they are to repeat that feat or potentially even better.

Shrewsbury collected zero points from their three group games in this competition last season, so Taylor will be demanding much more from his players this time around having only joined the club as manager during the summer.

Forest Green Rovers form (all competitions):

Shrewsbury Town form (all competitions):

Team News

Forest Green will remain without Callum Jones due to a leg injury, with Horseman likely to have his eye on making several changes for this match ahead of hosting Crewe Alexandra in the league on Saturday.

Deeney will almost certainly be rested given that he is now 35-years-old, with Matthew Stevens set to start after replacing the former Watford striker during their side's 1-0 win at Sutton on Saturday.

Shrewsbury, on the other hand, do not have a league fixture coming up as their match against Bolton Wanderers has been postponed, meaning Taylor could go stronger than he may have expected to in this competition.

However, the former Walsall boss will still want to hand certain fringe players an opportunity to impress him, with the likes of Kieran Phillips and Elliott Bennett expected to start after appearing from the bench during their side's 2-0 defeat to Carlisle last time out.

Forest Green Rovers possible starting lineup:

Searle; Bernard, Welch, Johnson, Robson; McAllister, Brown, Jenks, Bendle; Stevens, Omotoye

Shrewsbury Town possible starting lineup:

Burgoyne; Feeney, Sobowale, Sraha, Fleming; Bennett, Watts, Kenneh, Bayliss; Mata, Phillips

We say: Forest Green Rovers 2-1 Shrewsbury Town

Forest Green performed excellently in the group stage of this competition last season and they will be determined to end their losing streak on their home patch on Tuesday.

Despite competing one division below their forthcoming opponents, the hosts arguably have greater strength in depth in attack to call upon, and we can envisage this helping them beat Shrewsbury.

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Top tip

Our expert tipster partners at Sporita.com are predicting under 3.5 goals in this match. Click here to find out what else they are predicting for this game and for more of their tried-and-tested football tips.