Shrewsbury Town’s Johnstone’s Paint Trophy experiences have quickly transformed from the memorable to the instantly forgettable.

Last season they enjoyed an away victory at Exeter, sensationally stuck seven past Wycombe and five past Dagenham and pushed higher graded Brighton to the brink before bowing out on penalties.

In 2009-10, however, their journey in the lower league knockout was ended after one gloomy night at Accrington Stanley where the Town performance was as devoid of inspiration as the surroundings and atmosphere generated by a crowd of just 819.

It must be remembered Shrewsbury remain ravaged by injury with 10 first team players missing this re-arranged trip to Lancashire.

And even amid this loss of form which has now produced three successive defeats, they remain well positioned in League Two.

But this still remained a wholly disappointing evening for Shrewsbury and one which once again exposed the desperate need for reinforcements from the loan market.

Two goals – both labelled “scruffy” by manager Paul Simpson – inside seven minutes at the start of the second period proved the visitors’ undoing.

The opener came on 47 minutes when Gary King fired into the bottom corner from 15 yards after former Town forward Michael Symes had headed down a Phil Edwards free-kick.

It got worse moments later when the visitors were caught napping at a short corner and a low, fizzing cross from Robert Grant flashed across the six yard box and was tapped in by Dean Winnard.

There had been little sign of such action in a first half which proved something of a non event.

Only a handful chances came in that opening period, the majority going Accrington’s way with returning Town goalkeeper Chris Neal catching the eye with saves from Gary King, Town old boy Jimmy Ryan and a stunning one handed stop from a Billy Kee volley.

At the other end, the only real threat came from Lewis Neal whose 25-yard effort was destined for the top corner before Edwards produced a goal-saving header.

Accrington’s start to the second half took the game away from Shrewsbury, although the visitors gained some brief impetus with the arrival of Andre Gray and debutant Will Richards.

The two teenage substitutes combined to good effect immediately with the impressive Richards playing in Gray after a driving run, only for Alan Martin to produce a smart save.

Nathan Elder, who along with fellow striker Kris Bright again suffered a difficult evening, fired the follow-up over the bar while Neal twice went close with two further shots from distance.

But Accrington were to finish the stronger, with the ever dangerous Kee forcing Chris Neal into two smart saves.

The performance of the Town goalkeeper, as well as his namesake Lewis and Richards provided glimmers of light.

But, just as at Darlington on Saturday, positives were in all too short supply and Saturday’s visit of Aldershot suddenly carries the feel of an important afternoon as Shrewsbury attempt to stop the rot.

By James Garrison