Mat Sadler: Shrewsbury Town must forget about midweek disappointment
Mat Sadler has urged Shrewsbury to forget about their midweek disappointment in Peterborough – and backed Stephen Humphrys to learn from his red card.
The defender, who skippered Town on Tuesday night as Abu Ogogo missed out with a knee injury, knows it's crucial that Shrews instantly switch focus to Saturday's visit of AFC Wimbledon.
The Dons are just four points and three places ahead of Salop in 15th.
Paul Hurst's side's 2-1 reversal – where they led until Humphrys' game-changing 55th-minute dismissal for two bookable offences – came days after a remarkable win at title-chasing Scunthorpe.
And Sadler believes beating Wimbledon at Greenhous Meadow would still represent a fine return.
"It was one of those games where you dust yourself down and quickly put it to the back of your memory. You don't play too many teams in League One like Peterborough," said Sadler.
"Then we go all out for what is a big, big game on Saturday. It's a game where – at the start of the week you'd say we'd take six points from three games – you'd take that. We'll go all for it now."
On Humphrys, whose penalty on his first start for the club separated the sides at half-time, before he was dismissed for encroaching on a free-kick, Sadler added: "I've spoken to Steve. We're disappointed, he's disappointed and I think it's something that'll rally him for the next two or three days.
"As a younger player, I know the way I'd be. I'd be really disappointed. Even though its dubious, the referee's got a decision to make.
"With anything like that, there's always something to be learned from it and I sure as hell think that Stevie, in the future, might deal with the situation differently. I think it's harsh."
Midfielder Ogogo could be set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines and is set for a scan on his knee injury, picked up at Scunthorpe, today.
Bryn Morris made an encouraging first Town start, while 19-year-old Nottingham Forest loanee Ryan Yates – also a central midfielder – tasted his first action from the bench.
"It's not easy coming into a new team but I've liked both lads' attitude. They both have great attitudes and are 100 per cent dedicated to being a footballer," added Sadler.
"That's straight away a massive gain for us." They're different in terms of their attributes and could probably compliment each other in there and I'm sure they'll both do everything they can for us - I've got no qualms they'll go in and do a job."
Hurst is optimistic that in-form Freddie Ladapo, who missed the Posh trip with a tight hamstring, will return for Saturday's clash against the Dons.
