Mat Sadler urges Shrews FC to forget about penalty woe

Distraught defender Mat Sadler has urged Shrewsbury Town to shrug off their penalty heartbreak and re-launch their automatic promotion charge at Torquay on Saturday.

Town looked set to clinch a vital three points in their pursuit of a top three League Two finish last night as they led fellow high-flyers Port Vale 2-1 heading into the closing 10 minutes.

But on-loan Sadler was controversially adjudged to have fouled Tom Pope in the dying minutes to allow Marc Richards to salvage a point for the visitors.

The Greenhous Meadow draw left Shrewsbury four points adrift of the automatic promotion positions.

"It wasn't a penalty and I'm absolutely distraught because I felt it was good defending," said Sadler. "I got myself in front of him and snuffed out the attack.

"Everyone in the ground can see it wasn't a penalty and I felt a bit let down by the linesman because he could have over-ruled the ref with him having the best view in the house.

"All their lads were saying it wasn't a penalty and the lad himself said it wasn't.

"We are ruing a ref's decision but we showed real good character from going behind to get our noses in front.

"There are still a lot of points to go for. If we can get the win at Torquay it won't have been a bad week."

Boss Graham Turner shared Sadler's disappointment at the late award which cost his side victory.

"Given the decision that was made, it was very, very frustrating," he said.

"We have seen it on the DVD and in slow motion and it was never a penalty.

"The ref didn't have a good view and was trying to look around bodies.

"Mat Sadler was in front of the lad and in control and I think the linesman said to one of our players it wasn't a penalty in his view.

"We are aggrieved by it but it was a gritty performance and we played some decent stuff."

Turner confirmed on-loan striker Jake Robinson will be free to play against his parent club for Torquay.