In theory, the Salop are very fortunate to even be in League Two. Hereford United finished the Conference season as by far and away the second best side, but they fell foul of Aldershot Town in the semi-finals of the Conference Play-Offs, and it was the Shrews that then defeated Shots 3-0 on penalty kicks to prevail, before raiding the Bulls for ex-Southend midfielder Ben Smith, who was one of the best players in the division last year.
Smith again has proved to be a vital cog in the Town machine, along with the man that stuck by the club whilst relegated, Luke Rodgers. The ex-Yeovil Town man bagged the Shrews’ first goal back in league football after a season in the non-League wilderness in a 2-1 defeat to Macclesfield Town at Moss Rose. Whilst Rodgers with four goals has been quiet by his own high standards, and took a long while to get off of the mark, his side have likewise struggled.
Three defeats on the trot at the start of the current campaign were finally averted when Northampton Town were beaten 2-0 at Gay Meadow, and the subsequent wins (2-0 in the League against Cheltenham Town and 3-2 in the LDV Vans Trophy against AFC Bournemouth of League One) have both come at the venue that Shrewsbury hope to move out of at the end of the season.
It is a long time, though, since that victory over the Robins, and despite the arrival of Richard Logan to augment the prowess of Rodgers up front, the Salop have failed to win any of their last eight League games, with five draws and three defeats in that time. Saturday witnessed a 4-1 massacre at Brisbane Road that put Leyton Orient top, but Jake Sedgemore’s first strike of the present term earned a 1-1 draw at home to Grimsby Town on Tuesday night.
Coca-Cola League Two |
07/08/04: Lincoln City (h) L0-1 10/08/04: Macclesfield Town (a) L1-2 (Smith) 14/08/04: Cambridge United (a) L0-1 21/08/04: Northampton Town (h) W2-0 (Grant, Smith) 28/08/04: Oxford United (a) L0-2 31/08/04: Cheltenham Town (h) W2-0 (Lowe, Rodgers) 04/09/04: Bristol Rovers (a) D0-0 11/09/04: Bury (h) D2-2 (Moss, Challinor [o.g.]) 18/09/04: Boston United (a) D2-2 (Logan, Smith) 25/09/04: Yeovil Town (h) L1-2 (Rodgers) 02/10/04: Wycombe Wanderers (a) D1-1 (Moss) 08/10/04: Rushden & Diamonds (h) L0-1 16/10/04: Leyton Orient (a) L1-4 (Fox) 19/10/04: Grimsby Town (h) D1-1 (Sedgemore)
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F.A. Cup |
First Round draw yet to take place |
Carling Cup |
25/09/04: R1 – Tranmere Rovers (a) L1-2 (Rodgers)
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LDV Vans Trophy |
28/10/03: R1 – AFC Bournemouth (h) W3-2 (Rodgers, Young [o.g.], Logan)
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2004/5 Records |
Matches Played: 16 (8 home, 8 away) Matches Won: 3 (3 home, 0 away) Matches Drawn: 5 (2 home, 3 away) Matches Lost: 8 (3 home, 5 away) Goals Scored: 17 (11 home, 6 away) Goals Conceded: 23 (9 home, 14 away)
Scott Howie, Luke Rodgers, Darren Tinson – 16 Ryan Lowe – 8+6 Darren Moss – 13
Luke Rodgers – 4 Ben Smith – 3 Richard Logan, Darren Moss, Own Goals – 2 |
Robert Craven
www.thelittlegazette.com