Wanderers eased into the third round of the Carabao Cup for the first time in seven years as second-half goals from Jordi Otsei-Tutu and Dion Charles topped a classy display against their League One rivals, writes Pete Oliver.
It took a first goal for the Whites seven minutes after the break from Otsei-Tutu to set Ian Evatt’s men on their way as the Whites earned their place in Wednesday night’s draw.
That had been long overdue in a largely one-sided encounter which saw Wanderers show their quality at the Croud Meadow without getting all the goals a slick performance deserved.
But when Charles then quickly added a second with an explosive finish it was job well done as the Whites impressively bounced back from a first defeat of the season to regain their momentum and underline their squad strength for the challenges to come.
Wanderers made six changes to their starting line-up following their opening loss at Charlton last weekend and with Evatt also using the opportunity to increase the game time for a number of his players yet to feature more prominently in League One.
And those given a chance took their opportunities in a dominant first-half performance lacking only a goal.
Wanderers produced some excellent, incisive football with the outstanding George Thomason dictating from the middle of the pitch and chances coming at regular intervals.
Scott Arfield was a constant threat and twice thought he’d scored after being set up first by Thomason and then Otsei-Tutu who, along with Josh Dacres-Cogley on the opposite flank, constantly stretched the Shrews’ defence in an upbeat start.
Arfield’s initial effort struck the inside of a post before a goalbound shot was then blocked by a Town defender when the Scotsman thought he had scored his first Wanderers’ goal.
Kyle Dempsey was also lively in attack and after brining an early save out of Toby Savin almost gave the Whites a deserved half-time lead with an effort cleared off the line just before half-time.
Dion Charles also had a couple of chances, while Thomason and Arfield both lifted efforts over the top as an opening goal looked inevitable.
But while it didn’t come Shrewsbury, without a point in the league so far, were still in the contest.
And they might have grabbed a surprise lead but for an excellent save from Luke Southwood to keep out a header from John Marquis before on-loan Chelsea youngster Leo Castledine saw an effort blocked in front of goal from the corner that followed.
That was a reminder that Wanderers still had to make their superiority pay and they eventually did that early in the second half to put one foot in round two.
Otsei-Tutu last scored a goal for Rotherham as they won the EFL Trophy in April 2022 but opened his account for the Whites with a crisp finish, whipping the ball into the far corner after Shrewsbury had failed to clear his low cross.
If that virtually settled the outcome, Charles’ strike after 65 minutes certainly did.
Substitute John McAtee created the opportunity by hunting down possession and when the ball was fed into Charles, the striker took a couple of touches before ramming his second goal of the season into the roof of the net.
McAtee almost got off the mark with a low drive well saved by Savin after the inevitable assist from Thomason and defender Chris Forino saw a header cleared off the line as he also hunted a first Wanderers’ goal.
There was to be no third on the night but Wanderers had done more than enough to secure a morale-boosting win and potentially a big draw in the next round as the step forward Evatt wanted was emphatically delivered ahead of Saturday’s visit of Exeter City.
Wanderers: Southwood; Forino, Almeida Santos, Johnston; Dacres-Cogley, Matete (Sheehan 72), Thomason (Sharples-Ahmed 90+2), Osei-Tutu (Schön 72); Arfield (McAtee 59), Charles (Collins 72), Dempsey. Substitutes: Coleman, Matheson, Andreucci, Weston.
Booked: None
Shrewsbury: Savin, Hoole, Feeney, Pierre, Benning (Shipley 82); Winchester (Biggins 56), Perry; Bloxham (O’Reilly 77), Castledine (Nurse 82), Sagoe Jr; Marquis (Lloyd 77). Substitutes: Young, Nsiala.
Booked: Hoole, Pierre
Referee: Sunny Singh Gill
Attendance: 3,220