Steve Cotterill disappointed with Shrewsbury defeat
Steve Cotterill was disappointed with the way his side started the clash against Fleetwood but was pleased with how they battled in the second half while being down to 10 men.
Town went behind when Admiral Muskwe gave them the lead from the penalty spot midway through the half, and the awarding of that penalty also saw Matthew Pennington see a red card after he was adjudged to have handled the ball on the line.
Amidst the chaos of the sending-off, and Tom Flanagan going off injured, the visitors scored a second three minutes later when Promise Omchere poked home after getting onto a loose ball in the Town box.
Salop, who were playing their third game in seven days, started the game slowly which was something Steve Cotterill was frustrated with.
He said: "The only problem I have with the boys today is the opening 20 minutes when they were direct as anything, wasted time, and killed the game.
"I thought it was a horrible game for the first 20 minutes, just big long balls out to the right-hand side here and flick-ons and all of that business so I thought it was a horrible game.
"We then grew into it but didn't do enough."
"We need to show that spirit and that character when we have 11 men because we didn't do that in the first 20 minutes."
Town tried to get onto the front foot in the second half but with the amount of work the players have already put in this week, it always looked a long way back for Shrews.
It was hard for the boss to go to his bench and bring on reinforcements with the injury problems they have.
And in the closing stages of the game, Fleetwood added another goal when Chey Dunkley converted a shot from a former Town man Josh Vela into his own net.
Cotterill said he was happy with the way his team kept going in the second half despite being up against it.
He said: "I think in the second half, we have a lot to be proud of with it being the third game this week.
"I thought the 10 men were excellent, and I don't think they could've given anymore. I think they ran themselves into the ground.
"The goals, the second goal is a bit of a joke. The first one, the referee at the moment, it looked like he couldn't wait to give the penalty.
"I think he could've given a foul on Elliott Bennett 20 seconds before the third goal, we clear it to fewer men, they switch the play, and they get a shot, and it might be an own goal, but either way that's irrelevant really."
