Dave Edwards: Another slow start results in another Shrewsbury defeat

I do think they are a better team than that and I feel that they will get out of it, but they've got to stop making the mistakes they're making, especially going behind.

It's a horrible statistic with the number of times they've gone behind this season and not scored the first goal and it's undone them again in this home game. It's a shame because it was a misfiring MK Don's team, which came to the Croud Meadow.

They'd not won in five, they're well fancied this season and there'll be a lot of pressure on them because of the money they've spent, the squad they've assembled, the manager they've got in charge in Paul Warne.

The start of the game is really important, if you can make it uncomfortable for them, be all over them winning second balls, being aggressive, getting the home crowd behind you, then you have to really see what they're made of mentally more than anything else. 

An early goal just settled them right down and it's such a soft goal coming from a long throw-in.

It's something MK Dons obviously worked on and they got a little block on John Marquis and won the flick on towards the back post. Sam Clucas gets caught with his shoulders closed, which happens so often as a player. You look at the first ball, you wait to see where it goes and then you just take your eye off your man for a second. 

It was Scott Hogan who sneaked in behind him for a tap-in and Town were 1-0 down after three minutes from a preventable goal.

Town never really got going in the first half. They conceded the second goal which may be a bit unfortunate with the way it went through the legs of some Town players.

I always think this Shrewsbury team plays at their best when they are really in the game, in midfield in particular, when they're winning second balls, when they're being competitive in there. That just sets them up to attack and also sets them up higher up the pitch to attack if they are jumping on those second balls quicker.

They were far too passive in that area of the pitch in particular and that's the one area that Michael Appleton needs to address to try and find the right combination.

They're missing a ball-winning number six who can be dynamic in there and offer Town some solidity against counter-attacks.

With the situation Town are in, they need three out-and-out midfielders. Isaac England, Tom Sang and Clucas are all options to help Taylor Perry and Tommy McDermott in there.

They need to be more solid in that area because it gets bypassed too quickly and that was a real problem in the first half, which sets the tone of the game.

Town were 2-0 down at half-time against a very good team and it's almost impossible for them to get back into the game.

Some defensive work is also needed as conceding two goals a game makes it so tough.

They did give it a go in the second half, made a change at half-time and it gave them a bit more of a platform to go and play. 

Chuks Aneke came on and got his goal, which is really important.

He's a player who could make a big difference with the quality he has. It might take a bit more time for him to get up to speed with the lack of fitness he will have after missing so much football over the summer, but he took his goal really well, so that is encouraging.

Once again, two loan players were Town's best on the day. McDermott offered some energy in the middle of the pitch, he was the one trying to make things happen and trying to break up play.

Ismeal Kabia also continues to impress. He's Town's brightest spark by a long way from an attacking point of view. He gets the crowd going, whether that's going forward with the pace and the skill he has, or defensively with how hard he works to get back in and try and help his team. That's always nice when you see a loan player do that.

Town have a confidence issue at the moment and in the first half you could see players playing it very safe. It does happen when you have a start like this and you always go into self-preservation mode. You don't want to be the one who makes a mistake, you stop showing for the ball and stop putting yourself in difficult circumstances.

Town need players to be brave on the ball, take a game by the scruff of the neck and be the one to make things happen.

It's easy for me to say because I found it hard as a player in these tough times, so I understand what they're going through.

There are some big games coming up and we're not cut adrift at the bottom of the league by any stretch of the imagination. 

There's been a lot more optimism in the last five games to build on but we need to keep picking up results and unfortunately we're not doing that at the moment.