Peterborough United 5 Shrewsbury 1 - Report and pictures

A Halloween horrorshow saw struggling 10-man Shrewsbury Town hammered 5-1 at high-flying Peterborough United.

Josh Vela’s straight red card for an ugly tackle on the stroke of half-time undoubtedly played a part as Sam Ricketts’ side went down to a fourth defeat on the spin, with Siriki Dembele bagging a hat-trick for Posh who smelt blood.

Three goals came in the stretched second half, with Dembele netting the third and fourth and Jack Taylor thumping in a fifth late on as Town were sliced open time after time in an October 31 massacre.

The latest reverse leaves under-pressure Ricketts and out-of-sorts Shrewsbury 22nd in League One, on a run of form which is their worst for three-and-a-half years. Peterborough’s goal haul saw them go top of the pile in the third tier.

Peterborough flyer Dembele was the star of the show with three goals and countless stylish runs in a stretched second half helped the hosts to the win. Town had a number of late Harry Burgoyne saves to thank to ensure they were not humbled further by the at-time wasteful hosts.

Shrewsbury started well and were the better side in the early stages at London Road but sloppy defending in reacting to a long ball cost them as Burgoyne conceded a penalty which was dispatched by Jonson Clarke-Harris.

Josh Daniels replied instantly for Shrewsbury with his first goal for the club on his first league start for a deserved equaliser.

And Salop were moments from going in level after an encouraging first half but another simple ball over the top proved costly as the classy Dembele danced inside the box to finish.

Vela’s moment of madness proved costly as Town struggled to cope in the second period, where Dembele added two more and several more chances were passed up before Taylor thumped in a fifth on a Halloween to forget for Ricketts and Town.

The heavy defeat sees pressure continue to crank up on boss Ricketts, whose side have mustered just one win from nine.

Tuesday sees fellow strugglers Burton Albion, one place further back on 23rd, visit Montgomery Waters Meadow in a big game at the foot of the standings.

There was a recall to Town’s XI for Ro-Shaun Williams and Scott High, who were both benched in the midweek defeat at Fleetwood.

Marlon Fossey and Brad Walker dropped to the bench.

Ricketts’ other change was to hand a full league debut for Northern Irishman Josh Daniels, who had only previously been used from the bench having checked in from Glenavon.

Darren Ferguson’s Posh had a settled side after an encouraging start to the campaign. Six members of their side had started all nine league games so far this season, with one - right-back Nathan Thompson - rested for Niall Mason.

Town’s backline, with Williams playing at right-back, were braced for a test against some of the division’s star attackers. Clarke-Harris, Dembele and Joe Ward had nine league goals between them ahead of kick-off.

You would be hard pressed to spot which side sat fourth and who was down in 21st inside the opening stages.

Peterborough’s run of five wins on the spin had been ended by bottom side Burton in midweek as the Brewers took a 2-2 draw.

And Ricketts’ side caused their hosts problems from the off. Udoh, starting in the centre-forward role, proved a handful for the centre-halves, who conceded fouls in the early stages as the frontman span his marker.

Peterborough looked vulnerable from balls into the box and Shrewsbury were mightily unlucky to see Ethan Ebanks-Landell’s strike from 10 yards cleared off the line by Frankie Kent.

The hosts were offering nothing going forward, and it was Town’s other centre-half who was inches away from handing the visitors a deserved lead. Pierre’s firmly-struck volley from a corner was blocked near the line by a sea of home blue shirts.

It was one-way traffic but, in the blink of an eye, Posh were awarded a golden chance to lead.

A simple long ball over Shrewsbury’s defence had the speedy Dembele tearing in on the visitors’ box.

Out rushed Harry Burgoyne in an attempt to sweep up the danger, but Dembele won the race, nipping the ball away from the keeper who caught the Posh man just inside the box.

Referee James Oldham was under no doubt it was a penalty and booked Burgoyne for his troubles.

Clarke-Harris, the summer signing from Bristol Rovers, buried the penalty into the bottom right corner with aplomb, beating Burgoyne who dived the right way,

Town deserved to lead but had been undone by a sluggish piece of defending for the 16th-minute opener.

But they did not have to spend long licking their wounds.

Two minutes later Shrewsbury had the goal their play merited.

Another venture down the left allowed Marc Pugh to deliver from that flank, and climbing at the back post to meet the centre with a towering header was Daniels, who had cut in from his right flank to meet the cross.

His header was perfect, back the way of the cross and into the bottom corner leaving Christy Pym motionless in goal. The former Glenavon man spun away and celebrated his first goal in English football with glee.

An equaliser was the least Shrewsbury merited. They were sharper in every department and Peterborough were guilty of sloppy possession and being too soft in the physical battle.

Shots over from Dembele and Ward from distance, the latter a free-kick, was all Posh could muster as an attacking force for most of the first period.

Ricketts’ men pressed well and their attacks, particularly down either flank, asking questions of Posh’s back three.

Shrewsbury looked like going in at the break on terms but more questionable defending and a bit of finishing magic from Dembele undid them.

Szmodics’ lofted ball caused problems as Dembele raced out to the left byline to take the ball.

The Scot, who is of Ivorian descent, stood up Ebanks-Landell before a shimmy and drop of the shoulder helped him glide into the bottom and finish expertly into the right corner beyond Burgoyne’s outstretched left arm.

Town were minutes from going in any level but the first period would end in more misery for Town.

Dembele was surrounded by players just outside the centre circle in his own half but Vela lunged in with both feet showing, catching the Posh flyer with his right foot.

The challenge drew angry reactions from home players and referee Oldham quickly flashed the straight red card for reckless challenge.

Ricketts was left with some thinking to do with his side one goal and one man down and the Town chief opted to send on Jason Cummings, who was a doubt with illness, against his former loan club.

Town re-arranged into a 4-3-1-1 system with Udoh and Cummings switching roles as the second period went on.

Shrewsbury were fortunate not to fall further behind as Dembele was awarded all the space in the box but somehow opted to square for Szmodics blazed over. It felt like Posh were toying with their visitors in that attack.

The visitors showed they were still in the contest as the lively Daniels collected the ball in his new midfield role, cutting inside from the left flank and whipped a fierce drive wide of the left flank from distance.

Dembele was enjoying himself and showing real glimpses of class. He left Norburn for dead before a clever reverse ball meant Burgoyne had to be alive from a low cross.

Pierre’s looping back header from a C Daniels long throw had Pym hanging on under his crossbar but, as the game stretched, the majority of the threat was coming from Ferguson’s men.

Szmodics was played in goal by a clever through ball and finished well just after the hour but was flagged offside.

Shrewsbury were still in the contest at the midway point of the second half, but the live league table left them with the very real concern of falling to second-bottom.

But Salop were carved open like a turkey at Christmas time after time in a frightful final 20 minutes where Shrewsbury heads were down and shoulders drooped.

Peterborough added a third, as Dembele finished Ward’s cross well off the post, before the winger netted his hat-trick speeding on to a loose ball and rounding Burgoyne.

Town’s misery was complete in the final five minutes as midfielder Taylor hammered into the bottom corner from 25 yards.

The visitors were grateful to keeper Burgoyne who made several point-blank stops as Peterborough flooded forward at hapless Town time after time. Szmodics should’ve joined Dembele with a matchball of his own.

There are big questions ahead for Shrewsbury after a desperate afternoon in Cambridgeshire saw them torn apart by the promotion-hopefuls, who are now unbeaten in eight with six wins.

Ricketts’ men were in the contest but hampered by a real lack of discipline by Vela and humbled and humiliated late on.

Big improvements are required before Salop find themselves cut adrift in the bottom four.