Wigan '˜will be champions' - Shrews boss

Latics were held to a 0-0 at home by the second-placed Shrews in a Boxing Day encounter that was high on passion and commitment but low on genuine goalmouth activity.

The home side hit the bar in each half through Will Grigg and Max Power, but Hurst says Shrewsbury deserve credit for the way they dug in.

“We’re defying the odds and coming to places like Wigan, who were keen to give us some hiding.

“I say that because we’re one of a few teams to have beaten them, and they wanted to score four or five against us and really send us home packing, so I’m delighted that didn’t happen.

“I keep saying it and nothing will change my mind...we’ve seen the team that’ll be the champions at the end of the season.

“They’ve got some very good players, but I thought we had spells in the game as well.

“I’m sure on Sky it’ll report the last five minutes, one of which would’ve been a worldy with Max Power’s first touch.

“But there were not loads of chances with either team.

“Would we have taken a point before? I think we would have.”

The battling point will only have added to Hurst’s growing reputation, which has recently seen him linked with the managerial vacancy at Sheffield Wednesday.

Hurst, who hails from Sheffield and is a lifelong Wednesday fan, added: “It’s a massive club that I would love to see back in the Premier League, as well as the other team on the other side of the city.

“But there’s nothing in it as far as I’m concerned, and I’m fully focused on what we’re doing here.

“It’s flattering, yes, but it’s certainly not distracting for me.

“It shows how well we’re all doing here at Shrewsbury, defying the odds, and coming to places like Wigan and getting a result.”