Paul Hurst gives honest assessment as Shrewsbury beaten again

Town remain rooted inside the relegation zone, in 23rd place, after a comfortable victory for the Reds.

Boos circled around The Croud Meadow as Salop failed to make a menace and test Ben Killip between the sticks, and Jonathan Russell and Max Watters netted for Barnsley.

Saturday’s loss concluded a miserable week for Hurst’s side who had an equaliser controversially and agonisingly ruled out against Bristol Rovers last Tuesday.

“It's not my best week that we've ever had, that's for sure,” said the Town head coach.

“But for myself at least, Tuesday had been and gone and then we were concentrating on today.

“I'm not gonna try and fool anyone, not going to try and speak to those fans that aren't here as perhaps some managers do.

“We weren't at it from my own point of view, but also, we were second best in so many aspects of the game.”

Town failed to register a shot on target until moments before the final whistle when Tom Bloxham forced a fine diving save from Ben Killip.

Hurst was dissatisfied with Salop’s attacking threat, adding: “We didn't ask enough questions of them.

“When the ball did go forward, I don't think we picked up anywhere near enough second balls, and that's a basic and it's a part of the game that I think can be undervalued at times and Barnsley were much better at that.”

Town’s head coach made three changes from the side that faced Bristol Rovers as Taylor Perry, Toto Nsiala and Tom Bloxham replaced Josh Feeney, John Marquis and Leo Castledine.

Meanwhile, Carl Winchester was also absent from the squad, missing through illness.

Hurst said: “Carl was the one that I mentioned was ill.

“He managed to be here and had a little bobble on the pitch but he had been ill for three days, sick and had not eaten.

“Carl would have put himself out there.

“From my experience, and I think in a certain way I can relate character wise as I did it myself where you declare yourself fit and you’re nowhere near the player that you

want to be.

“The head is saying you want to do it, the heart is, but the body doesn’t respond.

“Today that was the call that I made.”

The Shrewsbury boss also backed his decision to not use Charles Sagoe Jr or Tommi O’Reilly from the bench, when asked about the substitutes.

Hurst added: “Given my time again I don’t think I would put them on.

“I didn’t think it was anything like a day to put them on. Neither of them are going to help us on set plays.

“It didn’t feel like the type of game for them.”