Saturday’s League One clash between Stevenage and Shrewsbury Town sees both teams looking to maintain their winning start to the season. Stevenage secured a late 1-0 victory over Northampton Town in their opening league fixture, while Shrewsbury defeated Charlton Athletic by the same scoreline.
Stevenage, who are back in League One after a nine-year absence, have made an impressive start to the season. Under the guidance of manager Steve Evans, the club finished second last season in League Two after being near the relegation zone when Evans took charge in March 2022. They were one of the top defensive units in League Two last season and have continued that form, not conceding a goal in their last three away matches.
At home, Stevenage have been strong, winning all seven of their opening fixtures last season. They have also caused upsets against higher-ranked teams, including Aston Villa in the FA Cup and Reading and Peterborough United in the EFL Cup. In their most recent Cup fixture, they came from behind to defeat Championship side Watford on penalties.
Shrewsbury Town, managed by Matt Taylor, finished 12th in League One last season. They have had a positive start to the new campaign, defeating Charlton Athletic and putting up a strong performance against Championship team Leeds United in the EFL Cup, narrowly losing 2-1.
However, Shrewsbury have struggled away from home recently, losing their last six away matches in League One and scoring only once in their previous five away fixtures. They have also struggled against Stevenage, with their last victory at Broadhall Way coming in the 2013-14 season.
Both teams have made additions to their squads over the summer transfer window. Stevenage handed debuts to several new signings in their opening fixture, while Shrewsbury also fielded new players in their victory over Charlton.
Considering Stevenage’s strong defensive record and home form, they may be able to frustrate Shrewsbury and secure another victory. The prediction is a 1-0 win for Stevenage.
Sporita.com predicts that there will be under 2.5 goals in this match.
Overall, this promises to be an interesting clash as both teams aim to continue their winning start to the season.
