'Encouraged' Michael Appleton takes positives despite gut wrenching late defeat at Grimsby
Michael Appleton saw reasons to be encouraged by Shrewsbury Town's overall performance, despite their gut-wrenching 1-0 defeat at the hands of Grimsby Town at Blundell Park on Monday night on a night when the gap between themselves and the foot of the League Two table was cut to just two points.
Salop, set up in a 4-4-2 formation after Appleton opted to switch the system, were a match for the Mariners for the most part and enjoyed the better quality of chances - having failed to convert those opportunities, they allowed Grimsby to reply and Justin Amaluzor inflicted the late blow in the final seven minutes.
It's three straight defeats now for Town either side of Christmas and they play fellow strugglers Bristol Rovers and Harrogate Town in their forthcoming home games at the beginning of 2026, but Appleton was left enthused by elements of his side's display, if not the result itself.
"It's disappointing to lose the game," Appleton said. "It was a scruffy goal to lose to, but I was encouraged by what I saw in the second half. We had the biggest chances in the second half and unfortunately we weren't able to go ahead in the game.
"We've come up against a possession based team with a lot of athleticism, so to turn to a back four and compete with them for long spells I was happy with. I thought they were resolute and defended quite well at times. In the second half, when their confidence was growing, they looked a threat.
"I know Grimsby have been frustrated for a spell, they've not won in 11 games, but there've been occasions when they've dominated teams - I didn't think that was the case tonight. Up until their goal there was a level of confidence and belief about us - everything we didn't have on Boxing Day."
Having come down from League One last season, many of a Shrewsbury persuasion in the summer might've hoped or expected Town to have been more competitive by way of league standings by the halfway stage; the reality, however, is that they've managed four wins in the first half of the campaign and remain entrenched in another relegation battle, with a very real concern that the club could suffer successive relegations unless there is an improvement in form in the second half of the season.
"I'm disappointed with the first half of the season, but there is a bigger picture," Appleton reasoned. "You've only got to look tonight at both benches. We want to make substitutions but sometimes you're at risk of making yourself weaker rather than stronger - they brought three or four players whose athleticism probably blow our players' out of the water.
"There are a lot of things to put into perspective, but at the same time I'm not shying away from the fact that we've won four by the halfway point. It's not good enough, has to be better and I take full responsibility for that."
