Shrewsbury Town analysis: Tough week ends with all too familiar tale

It did not necessarily have to come in the form of a victory or even a draw, but it could have just come with a positive performance. 

If the Town players had put in a spirited display at St Andrew’s, it would have given the huge travelling contingent at least something positive to grasp and hold onto after the week from hell. 

But having witnessed 24 defeats from the 38 matches Salop have played - that result came as a shock to no one. 

Of course, everybody is well aware of the quality that Chris Davies' Birmingham City possess within their ranks, and as a result, no sensible Shrewsbury Town fan would have gone to St Andrew's on the weekend expecting their side to get a result. 

But what Town fans should be able to expect as a bare minimum is their side being able to defend set pieces and learn from their mistakes. 

Arguably, they would be able to forgive the players if it was the first time they had been breached from a deadball situation in recent weeks, but its regularity at the moment is laughable. 

And while Blues are a superb team, there are still things Town could have done better. It is not unreasonable for supporters to expect their side to show a little bit more composure on the ball because in this loss even the simplest of passes were often unsuccessful.

Birmingham City are a superior side to Shrewsbury Town in every single way. Everybody understands that, but Town made it too easy for their hosts.

For all Birmingham’s quality, it was two set plays which saw them get into a comfortable lead.   

One would imagine it's been a difficult week for the players just like it has been for the fans after Gareth Ainsworth walked out on his Shrewsbury squad on Tuesday to join League Two strugglers Gillingham. 

He managed a 1-1 draw at Harrogate in his first game in charge of his new club. The players, like everybody else connected with the football club, will be equally disappointed by the fact that their former head coach had decided he would prefer to be elsewhere.

So fresh to the dugout, Michael Appleton was tasked with taking the side to St Andrew’s to try and finish the week on a positive note. But unfortunately, that felt like it was never going to be the case.

With Shrewsbury's glum season, there was a tinge of sadness as you left the syadium on Saturday night for supporters and media alike.

With Shrewsbury's relegation, which is almost certain at this stage, days out like Saturday, where they head to a stadium full of more than 26,000 supporters, will be few and far between as they drop into the fourth tier of English football. The opening goal of the match was scored by Ben Davies after Blues whipped in a free-kick from the left. The defender was given the freedom of the stadium to tap in at the back post. 

Town, who could consider themselves lucky to only be one behind at the interval, conceded the second of the afternoon not long after the resumption. 

Ethan Laird with a free header after a well-worked corner routine. 

Alfie May bagged a brace for the hosts to put the game beyond doubt. Emil Hansson got the better of Josh Feeney, and the former Cheltenham Town man could not miss from inside the six-yard box - more poor defending led to his second and Blues’ fourth three minutes from time. 

On a grim day, the Town fans were given something to cheer when Vadaine Oliver netted a late consolation. It was two substitutes who combined for the goal. Jordan Shipley stood up a cross to the far post, and Oliver attacked it well to score for the second time in blue and amber. 

The one thing Appleton did say after the game was the late flurry of scoring was always likely as Shrewsbury had to try and open up as the game went on if they wanted to get something from it. 

Either way, as they trudged off the turf in the second city, the players looked despondent. They now have another game to prepare as they head to Wycombe on Tuesday night.

A penny for Appleton's thoughts as he stood on the touchline to address the press in his first post-match interview - he must be wondering what he has got himself into. 

Appleton has two of the hardest fixtures of the whole season in his first two games, and that makes it incredibly hard for you to learn anything about him as a coach. In fairness, it's unlikely that you're going to learn too much about Appleton for a good while. The Blues game was the start of five games in 15 days so time on the training field is going to be limited for the new boss. 

But boy, he has got his work cut out here.