In the cut throat world of professional sport, any defeat is hard to stomach.

But as their team coach left an unseasonably chilly Bristol behind last night, there was at least some consolation for Shrewsbury Town.

Over the course of this season, Town will play worse and win than they did on the night their four-game League victory streak came to a frustrating end at the Memorial Ground.

Both in terms of territory and possession, Shrewsbury enjoyed the upper hand, with Bristol Rovers – one of the pre-season favourites for promotion – often happy to hit their visitors on the break.

Yet Graham Turner’s side were left to lament the concession of a Chris Zebroski strike on 18th minute, and a ‘nearly’ night as an attacking force.

Most notably before that goal, but also in decent spells after it, there was much to commend about Shrewsbury’s build-up play.

They worked their way into encouraging positions on several occasions but –after largely been clinical in recent weeks – they were a little short of both conviction and fortune in the final third.

The odd clear chance came their way but there will be a nagging feeling that, for all the Town possession, Scott Bevan wasn’t tested enough in the Rovers goal.

The former Shrewsbury shot-stopper was forced to use his knees to keep out a snap shot from Marvin Morgan, watched a free-kick from Joe Jacobson drift just wide while – in the final minute of injury time – was at full stretch to keep out a 25-yard effort from Lionel Ainsworth which almost levelled the scores.

But, ultimately this encounter was to be decided by Zebroski who, along with Bevan and boss Paul Buckle, inflicted play-off semi-final agony on Shrewsbury with Torquay four months ago.

Zebroski, a threat throughout the first half, was to drill home a 20-yard volley after a searching ball forward from Lee Brown was nodded down by Town old boy Matt Harrold, who worked hard and won a reasonable proportion of aerial battles without ever seeing a sighting of goal.

Warned

Other than that, Ben Smith was only forced into two further notable periods of action, keeping out an Elliott Richards effort after his own poor throw out and making a double stop from Cian Bolger and Joe Anyinsah following a second half corner.

So, Shrewsbury’s four game League Two victory streak is halted and, 10 days after victory over Gillingham, they came up short in their quest to avenge their other play-off final defeat.

But one of the silver linings comes with recent history.

Town’s only previous League defeat of the campaign came on a Tuesday night at Oxford and was followed by a Carling Cup triumph over Premier League opposition in the shape of Swansea seven nights later.

Arsenal, you have been warned!