Pressley disappointed Town did not 'finish the job' against Blackpool

Shrewsbury’s shock 3-2 win at Gillingham means Town slipped to 20th in League One but they remain two points above the relegation zone and Blackpool with two to play.

Pressley admitted he was not satisfied with his side’s performance but hailed their courage as they battled to a draw.

The Town boss said: “Probably over the course of the 90 minutes a draw was a fair result. I felt it was a gutsy and courageous performance but there was not a great deal of quality in it.

“I’m not going to say I was satisfied with the performance because I didn’t think it was a Fleetwood-type performance but credit to my players for digging in.

“I’d have liked to have finished the job. Ninety minutes of that does your heart no favours, trust me on that.

“I’m just disappointed because we have prolonged the battle but the most important thing is that we are still in this league come the end of the season. It is not the result that we wanted. The result is better for Fleetwood but we have to do better than we did against Blackpool.

“Our destiny remains in our own hands. If we take care of the next two games (at Walsall next Monday and at home to relegated Crewe), then we will be fine.”

Town arrived back from their 1-0 defeat at Millwall at around 5am on Wednesday and Pressley believes tiredness played a part in Saturday’s performance.

He said: “I thought we started the game really well. In the opening 25 to 30 minutes, I thought we were very much in control but after that period I don’t think it was a great performance from ourselves.

“Not to make excuses, but I thought we looked a fatigued side in the second half. We returned from Millwall in the early hours and I think it took its toll.

“But the players showed guts. We didn’t play in the manner I like us to play in but that is credit to Blackpool, who worked exceptionally hard.

“Our performance was nowhere near the levels I expect, but in terms of the effort after the Tuesday game I thought the players applied themselves.”

Pressley was disappointed that Town did not test Blackpool keeper Colin Doyle as much as he would have liked.

And he says his side have to improve their set-plays.

He said: “I don’t think our quality was great in the final third.

“There is no doubt that we have to work the keeper more times than we did.

“We have to improve set-plays as well.

“I felt our set-plays were disappointing and there are a number of things we must improve on – but courage is not one of them.”

Midfielder Antoni Sarcevic and substitute David Ball both picked up contact injures.

But with a week until their next game at promotion-chasing Walsall, Pressley hopes they will both recover.

He said: “Both Sarcevic and Ball have contact injuries and hopefully in the next week they will recover because they will be needed.”