Shrewsbury Town fell to a 3-0 loss against Sheffield Wednesday.
The Owls broke the deadlock in the eighth minute when Michael Smith struck a powerful strike into the top corner from a neat passing move.
Smith then headed home the visitors' second just after half-time and completed his hattrick in the 80th minute.
This came just 10 minutes after Town's best effort of the game when skipper Luke Leahy hit a rocket of a shot from the edge of the box, but his effort clipped the crossbar.
Manager Steve Cotterill opted for a 3-5-2 system for the visit of Darren Moore's side.
After serving a two-match suspension, Tom Flanagan returned to the starting line-up at the heart of defence alongside Chey Dunkley and Taylor Moore.
Elliott Bennett started at right wing-back with Jordan Shipley on the left. Christian Saydee returned to the starting line-up for the first time in five games, leading the line alongside Rob Street.
Wednesday lined up in a 3-4-1-2 formation with Lee Gregory and Smith in the centre-forward positions and Callum Patterson in the number 10 role.
It was Town who had the first shot on goal, with Phillips letting fly from 25 yards out. His effort, though, sailed over.
And Wednesday then went on and opened the scoring in the eighth minute with a well-worked goal.
The ball was fed through to Smith in the middle of the park before he played a neat one-two with his strike partner Gregory.
And the former Rotherham man then lashed the ball into the top corner from just inside the box.
Town won the ball high up the pitch soon after, with Street slipped through on goal.
The young forward sent a low and hard shot goalward from 20 yards out, but Cameron Dawson saved at his near post.
Town ramped up the pressure on Wednesday's backline as the half-hour mark approached, with Steve's side having a flurry of chances.
Shipley picked up the loose ball from a corner and sent a fierce drive goalward. But that was brilliantly blocked by a defender.
The ball then broke for Saydee but his effort, from roughly 10 yards out, was also bravely blocked by a Wednesday man who flung himself in front of the ball to keep it out.
With Town's confidence up, Bennett whipped in a couple of dangerous crosses that the visitors defended superbly.
But just before the break, the Owls had a glorious chance to double their lead when - following a goalmouth scramble - the ball fell for Smith in the box. The striker looked destined to side-foot home but instead powered his effort wide.
Town made a change during the interval, with Tom Bloxham replacing Christian Saydee in a move that saw us switch to a 4-3-3 system.
Seconds after the re-start, though, Smith did manage to grab his and Wednesday's second - with Marvin Johnson whipping in a great cross that the striker nodded in with an even better header.
Town came close to pulling one back just before the hour mark when Shipley sent a beautiful floating cross toward the back post.
The away side got their third in the 80th minute when Bannan slipped in Smith. He then held off Flanagan and slotted in from close range to claim his hat trick.
Dunkley rose highest to meet it but his header was well saved by Dawson.
Ten minutes later, Leahy went even closer when he unleashed a rocket from the edge of the box - with his strike clipping the crossbar.
Teams
Salop XI:
Marosi (GK), Leahy, Moore, Winchester, Phillips, Street (Bowman, 66), Bennett (Pyke, 66), Dunkley, Saydee (Bloxham, 45), Shipley, Flanagan
Unused subs:
Burgoyne (GK), Craig, Barlow
Sheffield Wednesday:
Dawson (GK), Palmer (Brown, 89), Vaulks, Iorfa, Adeniran (Bakinson, 75), Gregory, Bannan (C) (Windass, 89), Paterson, Johnson, Ihiekwe (Flint, 75), Smith (Dele-Bashiru, 84)
Unused subs:
Stockdale, Shipston
Bookings: Bennett, Flanagan, Dunkley; Palmer, Johnson
Attendance: 8,467
Away: 1,642
