Paul Hurst admits Shrewsbury Town were below-par in MK Dons loss
Paul Hurst conceded his Shrewsbury Town side were below-par in their disappointing 2-1 reversal at MK Dons.
Two early goals proved too much of a mountain for Salop, who had fallen to just one defeat in eight beforehand, to climb.
A 90th minute consolation from sub Steven Humphrys arrived too late for Town to build another head of steam.
The hosts, who hadn't scored in their three previous outings, claimed the points - but Town's gap to the drop-zone remained a four point margin due to results elsewhere.
Hurst said: "We were certainly a little bit below the levels we come to expect.
"Whether that's the early goal that makes it a little bit more difficult mentally. We lacked a little bit of urgency at times. They make the pitch big, have very good players for League One.
"Some started the game really well. I can't have too many complaints with the fact we didn't get a a result, albeit we could've perhaps picked up a point.
"I don't particularly think we deserved anything. We gave ourselves a mountain to climb being two goals down so early in the game.
"The first goal's a good one in a way for them. That gave them a lift and then it's a clever set play where Toto gets blocked, meaning he can't get tighter earlier and it flicks off Jack Grimmer.
"At that point you're almost thinking 'we could be on the end of a heavy defeat. We gradually got into the game, had a chance on half-time that we couldn't take.
"Overall we've had enough chances today, without playing great, to have took something from the game - daft as it is."
Humphrys had passed up a fine opportunity to earlier reduce the deficit after arriving on for Stefan Payne - before he was then sent tumbling by Dons' sub Robbie Muirhead - an incident Hurst felt was a stone-wall spot-kick.
"I thought we had a blatant penalty turned down," the boss added. "I guarantee he would blow his whistle for a free-kick if it's not in the penalty area.
"The lad ran into him and pushed him over. If someone's in the way unfortunately you can't just run and push them out of the way.
"At that point we hadn't scored. The goal came too late for us.
"Second-half we did better but when you're 2-0 down against a team that likes to pass, you make it difficult.
"We've had a few, Stevie took his goal well but he perhaps could've scored before that.
