Shrewsbury Town 1 Oldham 4 - Match analysis and pictures

In their League Cup exit against Bolton last month they lost striker John Marsden to a broken foot.

And last night captain Tamika Mkandawire limped out of their dismal Johnstone's Paint Trophy first-round defeat at home to Oldham Athletic after just six minutes with a hamstring injury.

It is not yet clear if the problem will keep the experienced former Millwall stopper out for any length of time.

But should it prove to be anything other than a minor niggle it will simply compound what was a hugely disappointing night for the home side.

Manager Graham Turner branded his side's display in the opening 30 minutes as 'the most inept performance we have put on for a long time' at home.

And that view will surely have been echoed by a significant number of the paltry 1,748-strong crowd who witnessed it.

Both Oldham and Shrewsbury made significant changes to their starting line-ups from the weekend's league games, with Town bringing in goalkeeper Joe Anyon, defender Connor Goldson and midfielder Dave McAllister as well as strikers Graham Burke and Curtis Main.

Oldham made three changes themselves but both sides still had a relatively strong look to them.

It was the visitors who made all the early running though and Goldson had to be alert to deny livewire Latics midfielder Sidney Schmeltz early on after he had raced into the box.

But Oldham debutant Danny Philliskirk made it 1-0 to the Latics after just nine minutes when Town failed to clear after Anyon had saved Joseph Mills' powerful shot from the edge of the box.

It was a fine finish for what was Philliskirk's first senior goal, but Turner will have been disappointed at his side's inaction following the initial shot.

Schmeltz in particular was causing real problems down the left with his skillful dribbling, while Mills was also creating plenty.

Anyon did well to deny the latter's free-kick which was hit hard and low after 21 minutes but at the other end Middlesbrough loanee Main almost played in McAllister with a superb flick-on.

And Main should have made it 1-1 when he pounced on a defensive error by Anton Rodgers – who was watched from the stands by father and Liverpool boss Brendan – only to see his close-range effort saved by Mark Oxley after 24 minutes. It proved costly as Philliskirk netted his second just two minutes later, slotting home from Mills' cross having been left in acres of space in the box.

And he should have had a third just before the half-hour after Anyon palmed a cross straight to him but his acrobatic overhead kick effort sailed over the bar.

Town did begin to put some decent passes together towards the end of the half to suggest they might be capable of a revival.

Jon Taylor tested Oxley's reflexes from distance eight minutes before the interval and Burke was not far away with a curling effort.

Adam Rooney headed Oldham further in front from a slick Matteo Lanzoni cross, again having been afforded too much space in the box, three minutes before the break.

The game looked a good as over at that point but Burke's thumping 20-yard finish in the 45th minute – his first senior goal – gave Town a glimmer of hope heading into the break.

But Shrewsbury started the second half poorly and Mills was only the post's width away from making it 4-1 four minutes after the re-start.

Taylor, Burke and Main combined well to fashion a shooting chance with 24 minutes remaining as Town tried to rally.

But Smeltz hammered the final nail into the coffin with a well-deserved finish 14 minutes from time.

Matt Viney