Midfielder Kevin McIntyre has warned Shrewsbury Town must “be careful” not to blow their promotion chances by missing out on the play-offs.

Saturday’s 1-0 home defeat to table-topping Rochdale all but ended talk of automatic promotion from League Two, as the immediate priority turned towards securing a top seven finish.

Shrewsbury dropped out of the play-off positions for the first time in 2010 at the weekend as they were overtaken by in-form Northampton.

And McIntyre admitted Town must bounce back quickly from back-to-back defeats at the hands of Rochdale and Grimsby.

“We have to be careful because we don’t want to slip out of the play-offs, but it’s in our own hands,” said the former Macclesfield man.

“Saturday was disappointing – they were a very good side and I didn’t think we played too well ourselves so with that combination, you are not in for a good afternoon.

“You have to put that behind you. There is no point sitting there and sulking. We have to roll our sleeves up and get on with it.

“There are 10 games left and we are still in a great position.”

Manager Paul Simpson admitted Town could have few complaints about the defeat. “You have to keep the ball and we didn’t,” said the Town boss.

“We gave it away cheaply and didn’t work hard enough to make angles when we had the ball.

“It sounds cheap but we are better footballers than we are showing.

“But it’s no good talking about it – you have to go and do it on the pitch when it matters.”

Top scorer Dave Hibbert is braced for an absence of up to four weeks after suffering a groin injury.

“It looks at the moment he has got a grade two tear in his groin which could put him out for three or four weeks,” added Simpson.

“It’s a real blow and we needed that physical presence on Saturday.”

Defender Shane Cansdell-Sherriff is also facing a further suspension after being red-carded in his first game back after a two-match ban for 10 bookings.

Town were today waiting for confirmation of how long he will now be banned.

By JAMES GARRISON