And the fact that the performance was an improvement on that given in the Throstle Nest derby will have come as little consolation.
Saturday's game in Wiltshire was a disappointing spectacle with few chances at either end and it always looked like one goal would be enough to settle it.
And the home side got the crucial strike with 15 minutes remaining when substitute Liam Feeney fired home.
Overall, Town looked stronger at the back with Jake Wright partnering Rob Scott in the centre and Matt Doughty returning on the left but the two midfields effectively cancelled each other out.
Salisbury enjoyed the early pressure without threatening to test Adam Legzdins, and Andrew Sandell pulled a shot across the face of goal when he latched onto a long ball.
A Simon Heslop free kick at the other end was charged down while Matthew Robinson twice cleared from Doughty deliveries, the first a corner and the second a free kick.
The home side were gifted the chance to take the lead in the 18th minute when they were awarded a fortuitous penalty.
Ian Herring's long throw from the left was cleared as far as Darrell Clarke whose goalbound shot was blocked by a diving Doughty and Town were stunned when the referee immediately pointed to the spot.
But Sandell's kick was saved superbly by Legzdins diving to his right to parry the ball and when Marvin Brown looked to slide the rebound home, Ryan Toulson was there to clear off the line.
Legzdins also saved comfortably from Rob Matthews before half time, but that was the extent of the home side's clear cut chances.
Town's best opportunity of the opening period came just before the half hour after Lewis Killeen had swapped passes with Daryl Taylor on the right.
Killeen pulled the ball back for Heslop, arriving late in the area, but his first time shot was pushed away by home keeper Ryan Clarke.
Killeen was also involved when he combined with Anthony Griffith three minutes later but the ball forward for Jon Shaw was just too strong for the striker to make anything of.
Town had their chances in the second half, the first when Heslop picked out Killeen inside the area, but his shot on the turn was saved by Clarke.
When Griffith picked out Nicky Gray with a cross field pass, the Town substitute went round two defenders before having a left foot shot saved.
And Shaw pounced on a 73rd-minute defensive slip before finding Griffith whose shot was blocked.
Salisbury also had opportunities but Wayne Turk's shot, from another half cleared Herring throw, was blocked.
Matt Tubbs then flashed an effort across the face of goal and wide from Turk's flick.
The only goal of the game finally arrived in the 75th minute from a move down the Salisbury right.
Tubbs made the initial break with Sandell also involved in getting the ball to the feet of Feeney on the edge of the area and he turned it home with a low shot.
Six minutes later, Feeney did well on the left before picking out Sandell, but his well struck shot was blocked by Jake Wright.
Town had a couple of late chances to salvage something from the game, but Heslop's piledriver was always rising and cleared the bar by a yard while Darryn Stamp's attempt to get on the end of a long ball ended when he and keeper Clarke clashed.