Soft goals cost us says Shrewsbury boss Sam Ricketts

Town went down 2-1 at the Pirelli Stadium after seeing more of the ball but struggled to break down the Brewers.

Top scorer Fejiri Okenabirhie netted deep into added time but Burton held on to the lead they earned after a freak goal inside three minutes.

Sloppy defending cost Town as the hosts doubled their lead 13 minutes from time.

Town's new boss was happy with his side's performance in reacting to an early set-back on the road in tough weather conditions.

Ricketts said: "I thought the performance was good. I think we did enough to win the game, so I feel sorry for the players.

"But what you can't do is give soft goals away and we did that.

"Both penalty areas are where games are won and lost and we had to work really hard for our goals.

"We gave them the upper hand at the start with a freak goal - I wouldn't mind one of those going in our way but unfortunately it went against us.

"To come from that, away from home and a goal down, and stamp our authority on the game was very good."

Ricketts was unhappy with a couple of refereeing decisions that went against Salop as a run of six wins from seven came to an end.

The Town chief complained about the call not to further punish a Burton defender after Okenabirhie was brought down outside the box clean through on goal before the home side opened the scoring.

And Okenabirhie was hauled down as the last man again in the second half, a deliberate gameplan of Town's, this time with Ben Turner booked.

"Burton struggled to get out the half in the second half, they got helped out massively by a few key decisions today, which certainly would've changed the game," added the boss.

"That was our game plan, perfectly, and they get let off the hook, which is disappointing.

"What I can be disappointed about is the second goal was off a set-piece which is disappointing. At 1-0 I fancy us to get back in the game.

"Even at 2-0 I fancied us to get back in the game, we got one and the longer the game went on it was up that had the upper hand."

Ricketts questioned the decision to not offer further punishment when pacy forward Okenabirhie was tripped.

But Town did not turn their dominance into opportunities on goal.

"Fey is through on goal as I can see. He's clean through on goal and he's been pulled down," the boss continued.

"We were given free-kick and there was nothing else to follow which I don't understand. I don't want players getting booked and sent off but if you've given a free-kick there has to be repercussions when Fey's through one-on-one at goal.

"That was part of our gameplan. There was one second half when Fey gets brought down by the last man and it was a booking, but key decisions didn't really go our way."