ShrewsTRUST Man of the Match

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Rochdale: Tom Heaton, Scott Wiseman, Tom Kennedy, Nathan Stanton, Craig Dawson, Jason Kennedy, Jason Taylor, Will Atkinson, Joe Thompson (Higginbotham, 73), Chris O'Grady (Glover, 81), Chris Dagnall

Subs: Danny Taberner, Rory McArdle, Matt Flynn, Ciaran Toner, Danny Glover, Kallum Higginbotham, Gary Jones

Goals: Dawson 8, 53 O'Grady 38, 67

Town: David Button, Dean Holden, Graham Coughlan (c), Terry Dunfield, Craig Disley, Kelvin Langmead, Omer Riza (Hibbert, 59), Shane Cansdell-Sherriff, Jamie Devitt (Neal, 46), Waide Fairhurst (Robinson, 68), Kevin McIntyre

Subs: David Hibbert, Jake Robinson, Nathan Elder, Steven Leslie, Harry Hooman, Andreas Arestidou, Lewis Neal

Attendance: 2,956

Referee: R Shoebridge

Assistants: P Kettlewell and P Gooch

Fourth Official: K Haycock

Martin Wild reports from Spotland

Paul Simpson makes three changes to his side with Omer Riza, Shane Cansdell-Sherriff and Craig Disley all making starts. Paul Murray has a slight injury and doesn't feature in the squad, and Nathan Elder and Steve Leslie both drop to the bench.

After a couple of previous inspections, the pitch was finally passed fit to play shortly before 2pm. The efforts of the groundstaff and eighty or so local volunteers have paid off handsomely, and this is the only game in League Two to beat the Arctic weather conditions.

Town kicked-off wearing their change colours of white shirts and black shorts, and immediately the tricky conditions underfoot were apparent. Dale were getting to the by-line at every opportunity; knowing that if they could force the defenders to turn, they may get an early breakthrough. And twice in the opening minutes Shrewsbury's back four were tested, with the bulk of the action coming down the near side with Cansdell-Sherriff particularly busy.

When the Aussie headed the ball behind after seven minutes, highly-rated central defender Craig Dawson pounced when Tom Kennedy's corner landed at his feet, and he slammed the ball into the net from close range. Keith Hill's side could go seven points clear with a win here and they had made the perfect start.

Chris Dagnall mis-kicked when well placed as the home side continued to set the pace, and it was difficult for Town to get any kind of momentum going. Quite simply they weren't seeing enough of the ball, as the league leaders dominated the opening quarter of an hour.

It was entertaining fayre alright, but Keith Hill would be the happier of the two managers up to this point, with Dean Holden's yellow for halting Kennedy in full flow compounding Simmo's misery after 21 minutes.

Dagnall flashed another effort across goal as Rochdale continued to demonstrate why they top the division. His strike partner Chris O'Grady was also heavily involved in most of Dale's attacking moves, and they still looked like the most likely side to score again.

Light snowfall began to descend on Spotland with the temperatures below freezing. The flakes very quickly began to increase in size, and you began to wonder whether all those early morning efforts to stage this game may end in disappointment. The game was held up as the referee came to the near touchline, but he merely asked the fourth official to fetch out a brighter (yellow) ball.

Kelvin Langmead got in a timely block to thwart O'Grady, but he wasn't to be denied and struck a wonderful second after 38 minutes. It was a goal reminiscent of Grant Holt's here last Boxing Day. The striker - on loan from Oldham - flicked the ball up with his right foot and lashed home the volley with his left.

Picture postcard scenery we may have had, but the wintry reality was as harsh as the weather. Dale were in complete control with half-time fast approaching, and it looked like Town would have their work cut out if they were to rescue anything from this match. Joe Thompson tested David Button - who hadn't had a chance with either goal - but the keeper held on low to his left.

A minute before the break Jamie Devitt went close with a rising drive from 25 yards, but the ball went about a yard over. And Button made a smart save moments later when he palmed a way a goalbound effort from Will Atkinson.

Half-Time: 2-0

Simpson tweaked it a bit at the break and when Town came back out, Lewis Neal had replaced Devitt. Kevin McIntyre went into the centre to partner Terry Dunfield, and Disley went to the right side which Devitt had patrolled in the opening 45.

But, just as in the first-half, Dale struck early - and in almost identical fashion. Kennedy's corner was once more despatched with some power by Dawson, but this time the defender met the ball with head not foot.

Town were on the rack and had Scott Wiseman shown just a touch more composure a minute or two later, it could have been even worse.

Dale hadn't experienced a promotion campaign since 1968-69, but on this evidence, their long wait for another tilt on the third tier of English football can't be too far away. An immense challenge by Langmead when Dagnall once again pulled his deadly trigger kept the score at three.

Dave Hibbert replaced Riza before the hour as Town's manager tried something different, but O'Grady's rasping shot almost found its way into the net had Button not been fully alert at his near post. The Tottenham loanee then went full length to keep out Dagnall as Dale continued to set their sights on Shrews goal. And when the hosts won a free-kick right on the edge of the box, the scoreline got even worse for the visitors.

Kennedy's low shot went through the wall and fizzed up at Button who could only palm the ball out, and there was the hungry figure of O'Grady to smash in the rebound for four-nil.

You had to feel some sympathy for Town, who had simply met Hill's side at their scintillating best. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say they looked capable of scoring every time they came forward, and few teams could have lived with them today.

Salop did have a shot on target when Jake Robinson - who had replaced Waide Fairhurst immediately after O'Grady's second - made Tom Heaton work for the first time this afternoon with 17 minutes left. Hibbert's header in the next attack was also straight into the grateful arms of Heaton.

There was some good news for Town: Hill brought off O'Grady with ten minutes left, replacing him with another loan signing - Danny Glover from Port Vale.

Neal's superb through ball for Hibbert saw the returning striker take far too heavy a first touch, and the chance of no more than a consolation had disappeared.

Full-Time: 0-4