Shrewsbury Town were well beaten 4-1 by Notts County as pressure continues to mount on Michael Appleton.
It was another sobering evening for Salop, who are still searching for their first league points of the new campaign.
County Too Strong At Meadow Lane
Appleton’s side arrived at Meadow Lane desperate to halt a run of three straight defeats, but they fell behind inside eight minutes when Matt Dennis pounced after Elyh Harrison failed to hold a cross.
The hosts doubled their lead midway through the first half, Sonny Aljofree finishing from close range after Shrewsbury failed to clear a corner.
Salop briefly raised hopes of a comeback when John Marquis glanced in a superb header from Sam Stubbs’ cross on 32 minutes, registering their first goal of the season. Tom Anderson almost levelled before the break, his header from a corner forcing Kelle Roos into an outstanding save.
That moment proved pivotal, as within minutes of the restart, Notts regained control. Nick Tsaroulla struck a curling effort beyond Harrison to restore their two-goal cushion, before substitute Conor Grant sealed the win late on with a fine finish that clipped the post before nestling in the net.
Appleton had shuffled his formation in search of a response, abandoning his preferred back three for a flat back four. Stubbs was deployed at right-back with Will Boyle on the left and Anderson alongside Toto Nsiala in central defence, but the changes did little to stem the flow of goals.
Appleton Takes Responsibility
Afterwards, Appleton admitted his side are underperforming badly and insisted the senior players must take accountability.
“There are lots of things we can do during the game that will help us get better results,” he said. “But it is not as if they are kids in there. The disappointing thing for me is that there are a lot of experienced players, who know this level, and for whatever reason are not performing to their capabilities.”
“I take responsibility for that. I am the manager. I have done this a long, long time. I am not going to shy away, we have to be better. We have to be miles better.”
The Shrews boss pointed to a frank post-match discussion in the dressing room as a small positive, with players vocal about the performance and what must change.
The defeat leaves Shrewsbury near the foot of the League Two table, having conceded 10 goals in their opening three matches. With fans already restless, Appleton faces a critical period to turn results around.
Writer’s View
This was a damaging result for Shrewsbury, not only because of the scoreline but because of how quickly the game drifted away from them despite a promising spell before half-time. Appleton’s tactical switch did little to resolve defensive frailties, and while Marquis’s goal was a bright moment, the lack of cutting edge remains clear.
With no league points on the board, the coming weeks look pivotal for Appleton’s tenure, especially if experienced players continue to fall short of expectations.
