Shrewsbury Town debrief: Salop need to find a way to win

They have played poorly this season and lost. They have also played really well, and still managed to lose.

Tuesday night’s game against Walsall in the EFL Trophy - which ended 3-1 to the Saddlers - was the fourth game in succession where Salop played well, but they only have one win in nine across all competitions to show for it.

For 68 minutes in the game, they were comfortably the better team, admittedly against a much-changed Walsall side, but you can only perform against what is in front of you.

The first half in particular, they created chance after chance after chance, but they just could not put the ball into the back of the net.

They were good again at the start of the second period, but you just knew what was coming.

Luca Hoole, who is not having the best time of it at the moment, gave the ball away from a throw-in. It put Toto Nsiala in all kinds of bother, and then Albert Adomah stole the ball and finished.

It was the former Villa man’s 100th club career goal, and he celebrated by doing a rather bizarre headstand in front of the travelling fans.

From that moment onwards, Town did not really look like getting back into the match, and they ended up conceding a third when Jid Okeke scored with 10 minutes left.

Tommy McDermott was a huge positive on the night. He was excellent. Since joining from Burnley it has been a stop-start introduction for the midfielder.

He started his first league game against Colchester but got sent off late in the game for a dangerous challenge, and he has been serving a three-game suspension ever since.

He has been able to play in the EFL Trophy though, and he showed his talent with an excellent goal against Chelsea under-21s last week. He rattled the crossbar against the Saddlers and could have easily scored on another two occasions.

He was instrumental to the goal Town did score. They had gone behind after former loanee Ryan Finnigan gave Walsall the lead.

But Shrews responded exceptionally well. McDermott evaded a couple of challenges playing the ball out to the left, where Mal Benning crossed.

Debutant Bradley Ihionvien was there waiting. He hung in the air, and powered his header beyond Sam Hornby into the Walsall goal. It was an excellent finish. Something Town have been missing this season is a goal-scoring presence in the box.

Salop head to Barnet this weekend having taken two points from their opening six fourth-tier games, and the significance and pressure of sealing that first win only grows by the match.

Appleton said after the game on Tuesday, the players have not lost any belief. They recognise the improvement in performances and they know that eventually their luck will turn and the ball will start hitting the back of the net.

What Shrewsbury need to do is take the lead in a game. They have not scored the first goal in a clash yet this season - that needs to change.

You could see when they went behind for the second time against the Saddlers, they were rocked. That is an issue that needs solving with haste.