Michael Appleton hopeful of brighter week for Shrewsbury Town with further signings after Wolves FA Cup defeat
Michael Appleton is hopeful of a positive week ahead as he targets further new signings to boost Shrewsbury Town’s survival fight.
Following their FA Cup exit to Wolves, Salop return to more pressing matters with a huge League Two six-pointer at home to Harrogate Town on Saturday.
And after bolstering his ranks with the loan captures of strikers Iwan Morgan and Trey Ogunsuyi, Appleton hopes to welcome more mid-season arrivals this week.
“We've got a couple of new faces in the group that I think make us better and will make us better,” said the head coach following the 6-1 loss at Molineux. “We're certainly expecting another couple in the coming week before the Harrogate game.
“For as disappointing as it was, hopefully the next week or so is going to be a lot more positive and it'll all come together hopefully next week.”
The defeat to Wolves was Shrewsbury’s biggest of the season so far – with the three-division difference in quality clear to see.
Appleton reflected: “If you looked at the result, you'd say ‘oh that must have been very much one way’, and I think there were times and moments in the game where it was. But there were big moments that made a huge impact in the game.
“I've been quite fortunate over the years. I've had three or four of these moments where it's gone for me. Unfortunately, today wasn't the day.
“We've faced Wolves who are on a good little patch at the moment, and the quality told.
“There were a couple of wonderful goals that they scored, and our lads are not going to face that week in, week out.”
He added: “There's three or four performances in there that certainly please me.
“The reality is, our next 22 games are going to be very different to what happened today and what they've experienced today.”
Goalkeeper Elyh Harrison made his first Salop appearance since September but gifted Wolves their third goal with a wayward pass to Jorgen Strand Larsen
“He is disappointed and hurting a little bit,” Appleton said. “All I would say to him is, it took some courage to deal with what he did and how he did it in the second half. He made a couple of really good saves and his distribution was really good.
“He was still brave with his kicking, which we knew he would be. He's hurting a little bit, but it's a great experience for him.
“As it was for all the lads, the reality is they've earned the right to be here. We've had two really tough ties, both sides when we played them had won 10 out of 11 in, so it's not been easy.
“For as bad as a scoreline might suggest, there is a bit of a reality check that it was against the Premier League side, and the side in decent form at the moment.”
