Wake sends Shrews down

SHREWBURY TOWN have been relegated from Division Three after falling to a 3-2 defeat at the hands of Carlisle United on Tuesday night.

The Cumbrians travelled to Gay Meadow knowing a win would secure their Football League status and send Shrewsbury down in the process, ending their 53-year stay in League football.

The name of Carlisle striker Brian Wake will be etched on the memories of distraught Shrews fans after he bagged a hat-trick to send them into non-league football.

It had earlier all gone to plan for The Shrews, as a nervous Gay Meadow crowd was thrown in raptures of hope after Nigel Jemson converted a 31st minute penalty following a foul on Luke Rodgers.

The home crowd's optimism lasted just five minutes when Wake grabbed the first of his treble, and then doubled his tally and put Carlisle ahead just a minute later with the homes side's defence still in a daze from the equaliser.

Roddy Collins's men new that a win would seal their place in Division Three and it was Wake again who got the third seven minutes after the interval to virtually seal Shrewsbury's fate.

As the gloom descended on Gay Meadow, Ryan Lowe's frustration boiled over and he was dismissed for an angry clash to add insult to injury.

Luke Rodgers scored a superb volley with six minutes to go to give the ten men a ray of hope but it was not enough to turn things around for Kevin Ratcliffe's side.

The Cumbrians are now safe but, as a result of that, bottom side Shrewsbury are condemned to life in the Nationwide Conference next season.

Elsewhere, Wrexham celebrated their promotion to Division Two with a 1-0 win at Leyton Orient, their seventh win on the bounce.

The Welsh visitors were always on top but it took a penalty from prolific marksman Andy Morrell to settle the game on 25 minutes, with Justin Miller somewhat harshly sent off for the foul on Lee Trundle.

Rochdale recorded their first win in eleven games with a 2-1 win over Hull City at Spotland.

Lee McEvilly opened the scoring for Dale after just six minutes and Darren Hockenhull doubled the home side's advantage on 18 minutes.

Hull produced a second half comeback and had numerous chances to get back into the game, they took just the one when Ben Burgess reduced arrears on 65 minutes but Rochdale held on for all three points.

Match summaries:
Leyton Orient v Wrexham
Rochdale v Hull
Shrewsbury v Carlisle

Click here for Division Three table.