Sam Ricketts: Shrewsbury not at the level I want

Leaders Luton enjoyed a comfortable afternoon at Montgomery Waters Meadow, with former Town man James Collins netting twice.

The result mirrored the previous home League One game where Charlton won by the same scoreline. This time Ricketts' men dropped into the bottom four, to 23rd.

Town were the better side for the first half an hour against their high-flying hosts but did not make chances pay. But the Hatters were gifted their openings and took full of advantage for slack marking on the first and third goals.

Ricketts said: "I don't want to sound like a broken record but in the first half there was nothing in the game.

"We weren't at the level I want but there was nothing in the game.

"We can't give goals away like we did. Once the second goal goes in, a comical goal, we lose all aspect of belief and togetherness which is disappointing.

"We spoke in the dressing room after about it, about why and what impact it has on the team and how we get out of it.

"Nothing is going to happen by itself, so as a group we have to stick together, the players must put in sheer effort, aggression and intensity into the games otherwise they pass you by."

Defender Matty Pearson scored a fortunate second for Luton as his cross evaded the fingertips of Steve Arnold and dropped in at the far post shortly after half-time.

"(the second) was extremely good fortune, he's crossing the ball and it goes in, that's when you know it's not your way today," Ricketts added.

"The one way is hard work. If you work hard then the fortune will go with us rather than against like it is at the minute."

After seeing his side drop into the bottom four for the first time since the early part of the season, Ricketts spoke of the sides' desire to recover.

He added: "My message to them (the fans) is that I'm clearly not happy with that either.

"That's where we find ourselves but there's no let up in our desire to climb the table.

"You're there for a reason so we need to make sure we do something to get our way out of it.

"I don't really care we were playing top of the table. Until we went 2-0 down I didn't think there was a different between the sides of such.

"But we lost belief after the second. Top of the table or not you have to keep going."