MISSED OPPORTUNITY

There was an overwhelming sense of frustration that a big chance had gone begging.

A home tie against Mansfield in the second round was a very winnable prize – with the accompanying £90,000 booty for going through again and mixing it with the big boys in January.

It’s not that Shrewsbury were much, if any, better than the Bantams. They just did enough to edge a poor cup tie and that should leave City kicking themselves.

OFF THE PACE

The fixture list has not helped maintain City’s momentum with its stop-start nature in recent weeks.

You saw the way they struggled to get going in the last league game against Exeter after the Macclesfield postponement.

And again, there was a sense of rustiness about the play on Tuesday following the latest blank Saturday.

It couldn’t be avoided but the lack of cohesion was clear to see in a spluttering performance.

DOYLE DILEMMA

City wasted chances as they came out firing blanks against a Shrewsbury defence that has proved a tough nut to crack for League One opponents.

But the absence of a home goal in the wake of another Eoin Doyle double at the weekend brings his situation back into sharp focus.

Sixteen goals for the Irishman is over three times the tally of City’s top scorer James Vaughan, powering Swindon to the top of League Two along the way.

It increases the pressure on City to “stick or twist” with him in the January transfer window.

HOT AND COLD WINGERS

City’s frozen fans saw both sides of Dylan Connolly on Tuesday night.

The winger showed pace and directness to take on Shrewsbury wing-back Scott Golbourne..

But having got into some really promising positions, his crossing let him down as he failed to find a killer pass.

Coupled with that one-on-one miss in the first tie, perhaps it is a hint as to why Wimbledon were prepared to let him go out on loan.

ONE FOCUS

Concentrate on the league may sound like a tired cliché for beaten cup teams. But it’s true in City’s case.

It is the first time in six years they have gone out of all three knock-out competitions at the first stage. Now Gary Bowyer’s men must not be distracted from the promotion target.