Dale moved seven points clear at the top of League Two thanks to two braces from Craig Dawson and Chris O'Grady giving them a 4-0 win over Paul Simpson's Shrewsbury.

Keith Hill named and unchanged side from the one that beat Lincoln 3-1 at Sincil Bank last Saturday. Tom Heaton started in goal, with Scott Wiseman, Craig Dawson, Nathan Stanton and Tom Kennedy making up the back four. Jason Taylor and Jason Kennedy paired up in midfield, with Will Atkinson and Joe Thompson working the flanks. Chris O'Grady and Chris Dagnall started up top for Dale. Shrewsbury had some familiar faces in their side, with former loanee David Button between the sticks and Shane Cansdell-Sherriff at left-back.

After a fantastic effort from fans and everyone at the club the pitch was deemed playable by referee Shoebridge and despite the dots of snow across the turf, the game went ahead. It was a very lively start from Dale which is always needed, and Joe Thompson would have provided that in the first minute. He picked up the ball after a deflection off a Shrewsbury defender, but the ball was too high for the Dale winger and his shot went well over David Button's crossbar.

Thompson made his intentions clear with that effort, and there were shouts for a penalty from the Dale fans inside Spotland just two minutes later when Chris O'Grady appeared to be brought down. Joe Thompson played a ball from the right into the on-loan front man, who turned his man but couldn't get his shot away as he appeared to have his shirt pulled but referee Shoebridge waved away any protests.

However, that decision paled into all insignificance four minutes later when Dale took the lead. A Tom Kennedy corner was aimed to the near post where a poor header from a Shrewsbury defender saw the ball fall at the feet of Craig Dawson. After a scramble on the edge of the six yard box he fired off a shot which made its way past David Button and into the back of the net to give Dale an eighth minute lead.

It was a fantastic start to the game which would be crucial in the freezing Spotland air as Dale aimed to go seven points clear at the top of the League Two table. Dale's dominance after the goal really showed as they passed the ball around with ease on a tough pitch to play on. Chris Dagnall had a chance after Jason Taylor fortuitously nodded through, but his cross-shot stayed well clear of David Button's goal.

When Shrewsbury did have possession of the ball the pressure Dale were forcing on them was second-to-none as Paul Simpson's side had nowhere to go. Keith Hill's side continued their pressure through Chris Dagnall and Chris O'Grady. The two were linking up fantastically as they had been doing all season, and did so again as Dagnall laid off O'Grady, but shot could only find the arms of David Button.

The Salop side couldn't not be accused of settling for a 1-0 defeat as they searched for an equaliser. However, great defending from Dale, in particular goalscorer Craig Dawson kept them at bay. The closest they came with half an hour gone was from right-back Dean Holden who fired a shot on the half volley which easily cleared Tom Heaton's crossbar.

With just seven minutes to go until half-time, Dale doubled their advantage through on-loan striker Chris O'Grady. He and Chris Dagnall linked up again on the left side, with Dagnall playing the ball into the feet of O'Grady. His first touch with his right popped the ball up, and in one swift movement he caught the ball on the half volley with his left-foot which was directed superbly past David Button to double Dale's lead.

With Dale comfortably in the lead, Paul Simpson and his team may have been wishing the game had been called off. Joe Thompson tried a first time effort from distance which Button was equal to as he got his body behind it.

Shrewsbury would need a goal before half-time if they were to pick anything up from the game and they did press as the game approach the interval. Waide Fairhurst tried his luck from the right which troubled the Dale defence but eventually found its way out for a throw-in on the far side. Jamie Devitt was the next to try his luck, this time from distance as his strike flew just over the crossbar.

The fourth official indicated there would be two minutes of added time and Will Atkinson brought the half to a close with a shot that was easily saved by David Button. That meant the players could return to the changing rooms with Dale two goals to the good after a strong first half performance.

A third goal just after half-time would have killed the game off, and that is exactly what Keith Hill's side did. Another Tom Kennedy corner was floated in, which was met by Craig Dawson who, via a deflection, powered home his second of the game, giving him his eighth goal of the season.

The Shrewsbury heads quite visibly dropped after that goal as Dale began to run riot. Scott Wiseman scored on his last performance at Spotland and he almost did again after a fantastic run from right-back. He steamed through the Shrewsbury midfield before being forced onto his left-foot, where his shot went high over the Sandy Lane crossbar.

Dale were absolutely in control of the game and were looking for a fourth which wouldn't have been undeserved. There was a two minute spell where the Shrewsbury penalty area was full of Dale attackers, with Chris Dagnall, Chris O'Grady, Will Atkinson and Joe Thompson all having efforts which were all well blocked. O'Grady had another two efforts which brought good saved from David Button as he looked to keep the score at three. Chris Dagnall looked to make it three with a curling effort which Button was equal to again.

However, midway through the half Dale did make it 4-0. Tom Kennedy fired in a free-kick which Button managed to get behind, but he could only palm it to Chris O'Grady who tapped home with ease to double his tally for the game.

The goal really did kill off Shrewsbury, but perversely they had their best spell of the game with 20 minutes to go. Lewis Neale had a decent effort from distance, giving the away team their first shot on target. Dave Hibbert doubled that tally four minutes later but Heaton was equal to his header to preserve his clean sheet.

The game really did slow down following that as Dale easily kept the ball, spraying it around as well as playing some intricate football. The final ten minutes saw the introduction of Kallum Higginbotham and Danny Glover who gave the Shrews defence something else to think about.

Jason Kennedy had the final shot of the game, but his effort distance went well wide.

That brought the game to an end after another fantastic Dale performance, giving them a 4-0 win and much positivity ahead of the trip to Crewe.

A Christmas cracker it was, and everyone at Spotland would like to wish you a very Merry Christmas!

Dale: Heaton, Wiseman, T Kennedy, Dawson, Stanton, J Kennedy, Taylor, Atkinson, Thompson, O'Grady, Dagnall.

Shrewsbury: Button, Holden, Coughlan, Dunfield, Disley, Langmead, Riza, Cansdell-Sherriff, Devitt, Fairhurst, McIntyre.

Referee: Rob Shoebridge. Assistant Referees: Peter Gooch & Paul Kettlewell. Fourth Official: Ken Haywock.

Attendance: 2,956.