"We would go on to win a lot more games" - Michael Appleton on what Shrewsbury Town desperately need

Salop fell behind again on Saturday before going on to lose 2-1 at home to Milton Keynes Dons, despite a strong second-half fightback.

Even in the two games they have won this season, Shrewsbury conceded the first goal - and Appleton knows that needs to change quickly.

“Reality is again if you don’t score the first goal you give yourself a problem and we haven’t done that all season," he said. "That is something we can do and if we do score the first one we give ourselves a brilliant chance. 

“I think if we did get it we would go on to win a lot more games, so that is something we can improve on."

The last time Town got the first goal of the game was April's 2-1 victory at Barnsley in which captain John Marquis bagged a brace.

Since then, aside from goalless draws against Bromley and Accrington Stanley, they have conceded the first goal 12 times in a row.

Despite going behind again, Shrewsbury's second-half response may have yielded at least a point had they not allowed Will Collar to double the Dons' advantage just before half-time.

“Sometimes the opposition might score from 40 yards (into the) stanchion, and you can do nothing about it, but don’t concede again," added Appleton. “Make sure you are always in the game and to concede the second in the manner that we did give them a bit of a foothold in that second half.

“Even if you get back in the game like we did - and we did quite well - they still had something to hold on to.”