IAN McParland has joked he is contemplating a different tactic in away games – winning.

The Magpies have still not claimed a victory on the road in six games this year.

And the 1-0 defeat at Darlington on Tuesday night was their third loss in four – following fruitless trips to Rochdale and Bury.

The 1-0 win against Grimsby Town on Boxing Day – the last time Notts won away – is now a distant memory.

Tomorrow, they travel to Shrewsbury; the team with the best home record in League Two, with 13 wins, two draws and only three defeats.

But, rather than being fearful of another point-less trip, McParland is in a positive mood.

Still severely stung by his side's poor performance at Darlington, he is expecting a stirring response against the Shrews – and he believes they can gain a positive result against all odds.

He said: "I want to try to address our away form."

If he is contemplating changes of personnel or tactics in a bid to mastermind a change of fortune, McParland is keeping it all close to his chest.

"I am thinking about doing something different away from home – winning a game, that's what I'm thinking about doing," he smiled.

Shrewsbury have not won in three league games and have conceded six goals in defeats at Luton (3-1) and Macclesfield (3-0).

They drew 1-1 against Exeter City on home soil on Tuesday night, with leading scorer Grant Holt firing them ahead with a penalty before Marcus Stewart struck a late leveler.

McParland is wary of a backlash – and has highlighted the threat of former Forest striker Holt.

"You could say it's a good time to play them but I just hope we don't face a backlash," he said.

"Holt is a good goalscorer and he will need to be watched.

"They have got a big, strong squad and they are very strong in every position."

McParland believes the last week has encapsulated the Magpies' chronic inconsistency this season, after losing at Darlington just three days' after putting Bradford City to the sword at Meadow Lane.

It has been an all-too familiar story this season that one incredible high is quickly followed by an almighty low.

"I was disappointed at Darlington because they had a few players out," he said.

"They have still got a big squad and a lot of their fringe players were playing, who have still got a lot of league experience.

"I warned my players they were going to be wounded by going into administration.

"They would roll their sleeves up and the fringe players were going to want to prove a point."

After conceding after just five minutes, McParland was angered by his players' response, or rather the lack of it.

Even with the likes of on-loan striker Jonathan Forte, who scored twice against Bradford City, Myles Weston, Jamie Forrester and Delroy Facey in the side's attacking armoury, McParland admits they never once looked like scoring.

"We didn't start the game at all and we conceded a bad goal in the first five minutes," he said.

"They were better than us in the first half but I couldn't see them scoring again.

"In the second half we were camped in their half but I couldn't really see us scoring a goal.

"I didn't see a goal coming and I was really disappointed. It just shows where we are at.

"We played some really good stuff, battled away and scored good goals (against Bradford) on Saturday.

"It was a good professional performance. We beat a top-six team at a canter.

"But then we went to Darlington and it was blowing a gale, the rain was battering down and sometimes you have to roll your sleeves up."

McParland called for greater courage from his players in the wake of their latest setback and he wants them battle for every ball.

The same will surely form part of his team-talk at Shrewsbury because it will take precisely that for the Magpies to end their sorry away record.