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Burton Albion are on the cusp of ending their dreadful winless start to the League One season, insists interim head coach Tom Hounsell.

League One's bottom side played out a goalless draw with fellow strugglers Crawley Town on Tuesday to end a seven-match losing run in the league.

Burton, who celebrated a rare win this season by beating non-league side Scarborough Athletic in the FA Cup first round on Saturday, have amassed just five points from a possible 39 to start the campaign.

On Saturday, they face Shrewsbury Town - the side immediately above them in the table who sacked boss Paul Hurst on Sunday.

"Yes it's a big game and yes they are around us, but equally I think we can go and win any game and there are plenty of points still to play for," Hounsell told ´óÏó´«Ã½ Radio Derby.

"We'll take the confidence and the mentality that we have shown and we will build good performances and get wins soon."

Hounsell was put in interim charge of the east Staffordshire side after Mark Robinson was sacked on 23 October.

He stepped up from his job as Robinson's assistant, having moved to the Pirelli Stadium in the summer to join the Brewers' ambitious revamp following the club's takeover by the Nordic Football Group.

Burton looked strong for long periods of the first half against Crawley and had a Ben Whitfield effort ruled out for offside, but it took two good saves from Max Crocombe late in the game to ensure the Brewers earned a share of the points.

"We were quite disappointed with how the game ended," Hounsell said.

"I thought the first-half performance was pretty complete. I thought we dominated the ball, had good control in the opposition's half, had good chances and counter-pressed well, but we just didn't turn it into the goal we needed to create an opportunity to build a win.

"I'm happy with the clean sheet and happy that we dug in, but it does feel like an opportunity missed in terms of not being able to get that important goal."