Shaw needs to make changes even if it upsets players, and speaks of disappointment in Elliott leaving

Tigers haven’t lost their last two games, but they haven’t been at their best, and last Saturday’s draw at Brigg was a further blow to title hopes that are now hanging by a thread.

Manager Shaw is quite prepared to leave some of the squad feeling upset at not being included this weekend at Maltby, if it means getting three points.

“It’s going to be a very tough game,” he said.

“I expect to be letting a few players down and telling them they won’t be involved.

“I’ve got to pick a team to go and win at a place that isn’t easy to go to and win.

“There’s got to be a few changes, it’s very important that I pick the right team, and it’s not about picking favourites or the best looking team in terms of quality – we need the right team, best suited to the opposition and where we’re going.”

Saturday’s dropped points at Brigg won’t have helped Shaw’s mood, but he doesn’t believe that one result is a turning point in the season.

“We’ll look at results at the end of the season, like we did last year when we thought if we hadn’t have drawn with Tadcaster or with Cleethorpes what might have happened.

“How crucial is that draw going to be? There are other results we’ve dropped and we should never have been in this position.

“But we are, and we have to pick up as many points as possible now.”

The transfer of Tom Elliott to Nuneaton finally looks to be nearing a conclusion, and although the delay has cost the club 180 minutes of service from the midfielder, Shaw says it’s the fact that he’s leaving that has caused the most angst.

“I think leading up to the announcement it affected me more,” he said.

“I feel like I’ve had a lot to deal with in terms of players leaving, starting last summer with Jon Stewart.

“It feels a bit like I’m developing players for other clubs, and if they were Football League clubs that would be alright, but I want to win titles here, with the best team.

“I don’t want to stop people from going higher, but players do what they want, and it sometimes doesn’t feel very fair for those working week in and week out, trying to build a football club.

“Tom leaving hasn’t gone down very well, Pursehouse leaving didn’t go down well.

“People don’t get to see the ins and outs but I feel like the one who gets burned.”

Tigers expect to have a couple of new faces at training this week, as Shaw attempts to bolster his squad, while Jordan Hodder is struggling with a foot injury.

Shaw added: “We know we’ve got the transfer deadline coming up, so we’re trying to get players in the door – which at this level is difficult.”