Gavin Cowan admits he is ‘bewildered’ by Shrewsbury Town’s EFL Trophy defeat

Gavin Cowan said it was “hard to understand” how Shrewsbury Town lost at Tranmere Rovers as he rued a string of missed chances.

Town’s EFL Trophy campaign began with a 1-0 defeat at Prenton Park, with Salop again failing to make the most of several opportunities after a similar story unfolded in their League Two opener there last month.

Asked for his thoughts on the defeat, boss Cowan said: “Loads and loads of positives. I think it’s a brilliant performance that, again, unfortunately doesn’t culminate in what we deserve.

“It’s hard to stand here and understand how you don’t win the game.

“I thought a lot of the players who came in who haven’t been playing were excellent tonight. Some really good individual performances, brilliant collective performance, we were really solid without the ball, brave with the ball.

“We had chance after chance after chance, and we don’t get a win. For want of a better phrase, a bit of a groundhog day. It’s difficult.

“But just speaking to the lads there, look, ultimately, we have to take responsibility.

“The amount of chances that we’ve had. I think we’ve just recorded 12 shots. There’s chances there where we’ve got a score. The lads know that.”

The result continues Town’s struggles on the road this season, with just one EFL Cup victory on the road so far.

Salop were unable to capitalise despite repeatedly working themselves into promising positions before being punished by a defensive error in the second half, with Dylan Jones firing home from close range.

Cowan continued: “It’s not so much a thought, it’s a feeling. It’s a belief thing, the intangibles as I call them.

“You can’t see it, feel it, hear it, touch it. It’s has to come from within. And there’s no excuse for us not to win that game.

“The lads know it. So we just take a lot of heart from a brilliant performance, some excellent individual performances of players coming in who’ve been on the periphery.

“But again, we’re slightly hurt by the fact that we’re our own worst enemy with the goal.

“Some of the younger lads - some poor passes in key areas. They let them in for their only chance in the second half and then we don’t convert at the other end. So, yes, a bit bewildered.”