Boss Hurst proves a hard man to please!

SHREWSBURY Town manager Paul Hurst saw his side topple struggling Gillingham, extend their unbeaten league start and go second – but still wasn’t happy!

Town led 2-0 at the break thanks to quickfire goals from Carlton Morris and Alex Rodman before Gills substitute Josh Parker set up a nervy finale thanks to his 76th-minute header.

“The result is very pleasing, the performance not so, but we’ve won our last two games without me being happy with how we’ve played,” said Hurst.

“There was a lot to think about on the journey home but it’s nice to have the three points.

“Even at half-time when we were 2-0 up, I told the players that I didn’t feel comfortable in the slightest.

“But when we did play like I know we can, we created a couple of chances and scored two good goals.”

Norwich loanee Morris opened the scoring on the halfhour, blazing into the top corner from 10 yards following good work on the left by Rodman.

“I’m pleased for him. He looked a threat,” added Hurst.

Provider turned scorer seven minutes later as the midfielder headed in his second of the season from Shaun Whalley’s fine cross.

Without a league win since Good Friday, the hosts had started the game the brighter, with Salop goalkeeper Craig MacGillivray making a fine save to deny Gills striker Liam Nash from 18 yards on 13 minutes.

Captain Lee Martin also missed a golden opportunity to equalise at 1-0, scuffing his shot after rushing to meet Nash’s low cross into the box.

Substitute Parker scored Gillingham’s consolation 14 minutes from time, heading in unmarked from Scott Wagstaff ’s curling delivery.

Billy Bingham almost equalised with 10 minutes to go with a 25yard effort that had MacGillivray beaten.

Gills boss Ady Pennock urged his side to be clinical in both boxes, saying: “I couldn’t believe we went in 2-0 down at half-time. The boys gave everything.

“We’re playing alright. We’ve just got to be ruthless.

“For the first halfhour, we were good.

“We’ve got to be clinical in both boxes.

“They had two chances and they were clinical. We should be defending those better.

“We just couldn’t get that extra goal. I’m bitterly disappointed but we’re going in the right direction.”