'Doesn't move in straight lines' - Gavin Cowan sends clear message after Shrewsbury Town's Bristol blow
Gavin Cowan insisted football "doesn't move in straight lines" as he looks to help Shrewsbury Town rediscover their imperious form.
Salop suffered back-to-back defeats and missed the chance to secure a fourth consecutive away win at Bristol Rovers on Tuesday night.
With the gap to the League Two relegation zone still a comfortable 11 points, Cowan is refusing to let either himself or his squad become too downbeat.
"That's being a manager, you've got to regulate the players," he said. "Football doesn't move in straight lines.
"It's important that we understand that tonight, we probably had the better chances in the first-half and then it's a deflected shot.
"Look, we're disappointed because we know we can be better. But football doesn't move in straight lines.
"It's the resilient ones, it's the ones that stand up to any test that's coming, and we have to recalibrate now.
"I just said in there (changing room), you cannot knock the endeavour. You can't knock the attitude, the application. We just know that we need to be better with the football."
Town welcome play-off chasing Crewe Alexandra, who are winless in three matches, on Saturday as they look to return to winning ways.
More than 350 Salop supporters made the trip to Bristol on Tuesday, as Shrewsbury fell to a fourth defeat of the Cowan era.
The Shrewsbury boss called for unity, adding: "I know they'll be frustrated, I know it's difficult.
"But remember the big thing that since I've come in here is about being connected.
"It can't go our way all of the time. We're still trying to evolve the group, they've had a lot of success over a short period of time.
"But we do need to get over the line now. We need to make sure that we get a couple of wins.
"We've been really hard to beat in every game. Even last Saturday, the truth is we weren't great in terms of the process that we played to. A couple went on their own agenda.
"We had some good words on Monday. The lads were brilliant, really responsive, and you saw that tonight, the response from them going back to doing what we do.
"I know the fans will be frustrated, but the message is stick together, stay connected. There's a lot more wriggle room for this team and for the club as well.
"We just want to get over the line and then recalibrate after what's been a long season."