Football: Shrewsbury Town 1 - 2 Rochdale

Rochdale made it back-to-back league wins away from home for the first time in two and a half years as they beat Shrewsbury 2-1 at the Montgomery Waters Meadow. Ollie Rathbone scored his first goal/of the season when he latched onto a Jimmy Keohane cross to tap over the line with Alex Newby getting his first league goal 15 minutes later to double the lead with a cool finish. Shrewsbury finished the half strong with Aaron Pierre crashing a header off the woodwork before getting his angles better in first half stoppage time when he headed a corner in to half the deficit. Dale keeper Gavin Bazunu pulled off a super one handed save late on to deny the hosts a share of the spoils.

Having missed Tuesday's game at Burton through illness, captain Eoghan O’Connell returned to the starting lineup, replacing Jim McNulty, in the only change by Brian Barry-Murphy.

Ollie Rathbone saw an early header flash over when he got on the end of a Tolaji Bola centre ball whilst Alex Newby dragged a shot across the face of goal after good work from Jake Beesley.

Shrewsbury grew into the game as the half wore on and had some half chances through the excellent deliveries from former Bournemouth defender Charlie Daniels who signed a on a short term deal yesterday. The veteran sent some teasing set plays into the danger zone with a combination of good defending and poor attacking play seeing Dale survive any scares.

Dale took the lead midway through the first half through the energetic Ollie Rathbone who scored his first of the season. Jimmy Keohane’s cross from the right was met by Rathbone with the former Manchester United academy player touching the ball ahead of his marker to open the scoring.

1-0 soon became 2-0 when Matt Lund’s flick sent Alex Newby through on goal with the former Chorley man keeping his cool to slot past Burgoyne for his first league goal.

With the half drawing to a close the home side lifted their game and started to pile on the pressure with a succession of corners and free-kicks taken by the impressive Daniels.

Pierre got on the end of a corner from the right and powered a header that crashed back off the crossbar but he wouldn’t be denied for long. Another corner from Daniels, again from the right, found Pierre who steered his header through a sea of bodies and into the net.

The second half had little in the way of goalmouth action; Pierre headed another corner into the ground before the ball eventually bounced just over, for Shrewsbury's only real chance until the last ten minutes.

Daniels again got down the left for Shrewsbury and his cross was perfect for Marlon Fossey but the on loan Fulham man was denied a first goal thanks to a brilliant save from Bazunu. The Dale goalkeeper somehow got down to save one handed low to his right before springing into the loose ball as Jason Cummings was abouts to pounce.

A late goalmouth scramble saw some brave defending, in particular from captain O’Connell and when the ball fell to a Shrewsbury player, defender Ro-Shaun Williams saw his effort deflected wide.

Despite eight minutes of added time, Brian Barry-Murphy’s side hung on for a well earned three points.

 

Rochdale: Bazunu, Keohane, O’Connell (c), Roberts, Bola, Morley, Lund, Ryan (Done 90), Rathbone, Beesley (McNulty 80), Newby (McLaughlin 71)
Substitutes: (not used) Chalton, Tavares, Hopper, Brierley

Shrewsbury: Burgoyne, Fossey (Zamburek 90), Williams, Pierre, Daniels, Norburn (c), Vela (Walker 88), Udoh, Cummings, High (Barnett 69), Clarke
Substitutes: (not used) Iliev, Tracey, Daniels, Ebanks-Landell

Referee:  Mr Carl Brooks
Assistants:  Mr C Husband & Mr S Plane
Fourth Official:  Mr M Cunliffe