Shrewsbury Town suffered a heavy 3-0 defeat away to Rochdale in League Two, extending their winless run. The loss at the Crown Oil Arena leaves the club 18th in the table with just three points from three games, having scored only two goals while conceding five.
Rochdale took control early. A cross from Kane Taylor found Dajaune Brown in the 20th minute, but his header skimmed the crossbar. The pressure told in the 33rd minute. After Emmanuel Dieseruvwe saw a shot blocked, Baba Adeeko fired home to give the hosts the lead. Luke Hannant doubled the advantage just before halftime, capitalising on a slip by Shrewsbury defender Josh Ruffels to score in the 43rd minute.
Shrewsbury goalkeeper Will Brook was called into action after the break, making a save from a Will Boyle header. Substitute Joe Gbode fired a shot across the goal as the visitors searched for a way back, but Rochdale sealed the win in the 80th minute. Jonny Smith added a third goal, confirming a miserable afternoon for Shrewsbury. The result marked Rochdale's first victory since returning to the English Football League.
The team's recent record makes for grim reading. Shrewsbury have lost their last four matches and are without a win in their last five, a run that reads LLLLD. Their most recent result before this game was a 1-3 home defeat to league leaders Barnet on August 22nd. That loss left them four points behind Barnet in the early title race.
With only two goals scored all season, finding a cutting edge in attack is a clear issue. The defensive record is also a concern, having shipped five goals in three outings. This form represents a tough start for the squad, whose full details are on our squad page.
Attention now turns to halting this slide. The next opportunity comes in three weeks' time with an away trip to face Tranmere Rovers on September 22nd. Tranmere currently sit 8th in the table, presenting another challenging fixture. The break before that game offers a chance for regrouping and addressing the problems evident in this performance.
Managerial focus will be on shoring up a defence that has looked vulnerable and instilling more potency. The full schedule of upcoming games is available on our fixtures page. Ending this poor sequence at Prenton Park is the immediate priority for Shrewsbury Town.
