Shrewsbury exited the EFL Trophy following a 2-1 loss at Northampton.

Town entered the game needing to win to claim a place in round two.

And they had enough chances to win at Sixfields with John Marquis, Anthony Scully, Luca Hoole and George Lloyd all going agonisingly close.

Those chances fell after Tommy McDermott had cancelled out a Kamamrai Swyer strike in the first half.

Salop then saw a number of opportunities come and go only for Conor McCarthy to win it for the hosts.

Team news:

Boss Appleton stuck with a 3-4-2-1 system for the trip to Sixfields - with Will Brook continuing in goal.

With Will Boyle suspended, Luca Hoole, Tom Anderson and Sam Stubbs made up the back three with Tom Sang and Mal Benning at wing-back.

Josh Ruffells and Taylor Perry sat in the midfield two with Tommy McDermott and Anthony Scully in the number 10 role.

Skipper John Marquis was the lone forward.

On the bench, there was a place for 16-year-old academy goalkeeper Tom Hill.

Report:

Following what was a quiet opening 20 minutes, the game suddenly sprang into life with Northampton goalkeeper Lee Burge twice denying Town with two outstanding saves.

First, some tenacious play from Scully saw the ball worked to Marquis in the box - with the striker curling a lovely strike towards the far corner.

Burge, though, was equal to it with the goalkeeper getting down brilliantly to parry the ball away.

Sixty seconds later and Burge was at it again with Hoole connecting with a cross just yards out only for the keeper to deny him with block from point-blank range.

Those saves proved to be even more crucial when the hosts then opened the scoring in spectacular fashion just before the half-hour mark.

Swyer was the man who did the damage - with the forward finding the top corner with an unstoppable strike from 20 yards.

Town responded with Scully seeing another effort claimed by Burge.

Appleton's men got an equaliser they more than deserved shortly after.

After collecting the ball in the box, Marquis did well to hold off a defender and send in a low cross.

And that was met by McDermott who ruthlessly lashed the ball home from 12 yards.

Town really should have got themselves in front following a frantic 30 second spell just past the hour mark.

A brilliant ball from Ruffels sent Marquis through on goal only for the striker to be denied by Burge.

Ruffels then played an equally exquisite pass to slip Scully in. But he curled a strike agonisingly past the post.

Appleton responded by making a triple change with Chuks Aneke, George Lloyd and Sam Clucas replacing Scully, McDermott and Benning. 

Clucas, Sang, Perry and Lloyd then combined well before Marquis saw a low effort saved by the keeper.

Salop really should have been ahead.

But the hosts then got their noses in front when McCarthy brought down a free-kick into the box before firing in.

Town tried to find an equaliser immediately with Lloyd hitting the post after connecting with an Aneke cut-back.

Kabia then sent in a cross which Hoole met with only for his goal-bound effort to be blocked by a defender from point-blank range.

But despite Town's best efforts they couldn't find a route past Burge - with the hosts going on to top Southern Group C

Teams: 

Northampton: Burge, Burroughs, McCarthy, Swyer, Fornah, Thorniley, Jacobs (Eaves 59), Perkins, Edwards (McGeehan 67), Taylor.

Subs not used: Guthrie, Willis, McGeehan, Eaves, Tomlinson, Fitzsimons, Evans.

Shrewsbury: Brook, Hoole, Stubbs, Anderson, Sang (KAbia , Ruffels, Perry, Benning (Clucas 65), McDermott (Lloyd 65), Scully (Aneke 65), Marquis.

Subs not used: Hill, Kabia, England, Gray.

Attendance: 802 (85 away).