Micky Mellon felt sorry for Shrewsbury Town

Larnell Cole gave Mellon's side a fifth-minute lead and Town were easily the best side in the first-half.

But it was a different story after the break, as Millwall dominated and were rewarded with goals from Ben Thompson (57) and Steve Morison (61) before Lee Gregory's 90th-minute penalty.

The spot kick was given after Mark Halstead had been sent off for bringing him down, after a back pass left the goalkeeper exposed.

The result - Town's first away defeat in eight since the 7-1 drubbing at Chesterfield on January 2 - left them a point above the drop zone with six games left.

Halstead became the third Town player to see red in as many games after Nathaniel Knight-Percival and Zak Whitbread, while the penalty conceded was their 11th of the season.

Town weren't the same team after losing Ian Black to what appeared to be an eye injury in first half injury time.

Mellon said: "We played very well (in the first half) so I feel sorry for them. We had a very inexperienced back line and I thought they were excellent.

"I thought we were really in control but my only worry was the number of free kicks given against us that enabled them to put the ball in our 18-yard box constantly.

"We spoke at half-time and said they were going to go more direct so we needed to make sure that when the balls came into our 18-yard box, we were winning those headers.

"We didn't win and it went to the edge of the box and the boy (Ben Thompson) scored, then we didn't win the next one and found ourselves 2-1 down.

"You can't legislate for the third one at the end. It was incident-packed. In the first half we did really well and, in the second-half, we needed to tough it out when those free kicks and corners came into our area.

"Unfortunately, we got caught on the edge of the box from a volley when we should have done better. People are told to do their jobs and we have to get them right in those moments.

"The second goal came from a set-play which again is disappointing, because there are people who have got to do those jobs and if you don't get them right, you get punished.

"I can't complicate it any more - you've got to come out on top. Sometimes in football you get it in football when people overpower you, but if you don't win those battles in the 18-yard box, you're going to concede goals."

Town lost Ian Black to a facial injury just before half-time and his absence seemed to hit the visitors hard.

Mellon said: "It's easy for me to say it's significant now because we lost but I trust all of my players. I expect them to continue putting in performances going forwards.

"The manner of the goals makes it difficult to pull apart tactically - people have just got to do their jobs better and come out on top."

Mellon didn't blame Halstead for his red card, adding: "I'm not delighted with that but the goalkeeper couldn't do a lot more - it was a short back pass and he conceded a penalty.

"But that's not something I'm going to hang him out to dry for."

Mellon made five changes to the team beaten 5-1 against Wigan, including the surprise decision to recall defender Mickey Demetriou for his first game of the season.

The Town boss continued: "I don't know about reward - he just hasn't had the opportunity because Junior Brown has been brilliant - possibly Player of the Season.

"It was always going to be difficult to put someone else in. He (Demetriou) did fine. That's the crazy thing - there were so many good performances, but individual errors have cost us goals.

"We felt that shape was successful before against the system we expected to face and that happened, it worked very well."