Paul Hurst tells his Shrewsbury squad to be ready to mix up their style

Town were overcome by a physical Rotherham approach on Saturday as the in-form Millers condemned Hurst’s table-toppers to back-to-back home defeats with a 1-0 victory.

A stop-start game full of bitty fouls on a bobbly surface damaged by poor recent conditions made for a difficult spectacle. But Hurst has told his players to find a way to beat the elements and remember what got them to their improbable position in the table.

A Dean Henderson error led to the game’s only goal on the stroke of half-time as the goalkeeper got lost in a sea of bodies, allowing the Rotherham skipper to tap home as Hurst faced his former side.

“We know what we need to do, the players will be given that message and we’ve got to make sure we’re willing to fight and scrap and understand what’s got us to this point,” said Hurst.

“When you do get into the final third as we are, there will be strange results and games where it isn’t pretty.

“I’d love to be able to play on an absolute bowling green every week in perfect conditions with no wind.

“It’s not. It’s League One football. That’s what I said to the players. We’re not playing Man City or we’re not in La Liga – it’s League One football.

“There are different ways you have to win games and different styles to come up against. We’ve got to try and be ready for all of those challenges.”

It is the first time Town have lost in consecutive league games at Montgomery Waters Meadow this season.

Hurst added his thoughts on goalkeeper Henderson’s error.

“Maybe he’s eating a bit of humble pie,” Hurst continued. “He was very loud and on a high when we played at Rotherham and if you give it out you’ve got to be able to take it – that’s life.

“It is a part of a learning curve for him. ome of his decisions and all-round game were nowhere near the standards he’s set. At the same time I’m not going to lambaste him because he’s earned us points to get into the position we find ourselves in.”