Rochdale 4 (Dawson 8, 53 O'Grady 38, 67) Shrewsbury 0

Photo: Jon Coluccio

Chris O'Grady looks to turn part Terry Dunfield inside the Shrewsbury box.

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Rochdale extended their lead at the top of league two to seven points, with no other game in the division getting the go ahead due to the weather.

Braces each for Craig Dawson and Chris O'Grady saw them comfortably overcome a Shrewsbury side that should have gone Christmas shopping.

The league leaders started brightly and they were ahead on seven minutes when a Tom Kennedy corner dropped for the lethal finish of Craig Dawson to hit his seventh goal of the season.

Dale pushed for more with tidy build up play in midfield and busy work from Will Atkinson and Joe Thompson on the wings. Half chances came and went, Chris Dagnall coming closest to a second with a drilled shot across the face of goal.

As the snow fell at Spotland the game went quiet with the home side comfortable in their lead against a Shrewsbury side that offered next to nothing in the first half.

With five minutes to go in the opening period Dale got a second. Dagnall cut down the left and cut the ball back for Chris O'Grady, who took a touch before placing a volley perfectly in the far corner.

The half was almost up before Shrewsbury finally offered something to threaten Tom Heaton as they took a short free kick to Jamie Devitt, who rifled a shot an inch over the crossbar from 20 yards.

The home side came close to a third in injury time as Will Atkinson cut across the box and fired a left foot shot that took a deflection, forcing David Button to check himself and make a fine save to keep his side in it.

Dale really turned it on in the second half and a third goal was not long in coming. Again it was the unstoppable Dawson who nodded a guarantee of the points from another Tom Kennedy corner.

With the win sealed the style of Rochdale's football from then on was frankly far too good for a waning Shrewsbury outfit. The visitors were chasing shadows as Dale sprayed the ball around the park and created chances at will. O'Grady and Dagnall both brought fine saves from Button who prevented what could have been double figures.

Three soon became four as the visitors waved the white flag. Button did well to keep out Tom Kennedy's free kick but O'Grady was on hand to turn in the rebound.

Attendance: 2956.

Rochdale: Heaton, Wiseman, T. Kennedy, Stanton, Dawson, J. Kennedy, Taylor, Atkinson, Thompson (Higginbotham 71), O'Grady (Glover 80), Dagnall.
Subs (not used): Taberner, McArdle, Flynn, Toner, Jones.

Shrewsbury: Button, Holden, Coughlan, Dunfield, Disley, Langmead, Riza (Hibbert 59), Cansdell-Sherriff, Devitt (Neal 46), Fairhurst (Robinson 69), McIntyre.
Subs (not used): Elder, Leslie, Hooman, Arestidou.

Booked: Holden.

Attempts (on target): Rochdale 17 (12) Shrewsbury 6 (2)
Free kicks: Rochdale 19 Shrewsbury 7
Offside: Rochdale 1 Shrewsbury 3
Corners: Rochdale 6 Shrewsbury 0

Referee: R Shoebridge.