STANLEY endured a first-half horror show as they slumped to a demoralising defeat at Shrewsbury on Tuesday night.

Although the Reds had lost their first three games of the season, there was plenty of cause for optimism from single-goal defeats against Southend, Leeds and Cheltenham.

But there were previous few positives to take from their visit to Shropshire with a calamitous start having left Stanley shell-shocked.Relegated Shrewsbury were in a buoyant mood with this their third home game in a week and they’d won the previous two – against Blackpool in the Capital One Cup and Tranmere in the league on Saturday, when they came from behind in stoppage time.

But the Reds didn’t half make it easier for them. They gifted the hosts their opening two goals, with keeper Luke Simpson getting sent off when conceding the penalty for the second, and the Shrews scored another moments later to lead 3-0 at half-time.

Former Stanley striker Andy Mangan then scored his second goal of the game after the break to round off a nightmare evening for James Beattie's men and leave them bottom of the table on goal difference.

Beattie made four changes to the side which lost at Cheltenham, with Luke Joyce returning from injury and Nicky Hunt dropping back to right-back as the Reds reverted to a 4-4-2.

But there was a warning sign of what was to follow as Jordan Clark fired wide for the hosts early on before the impressive Jean-Louis Akpa Akpro went close.

The Reds went straight up the other end and although their initial attack came to nothing, Will Hatfield took advantage of some loose ball at the back to fire narrowly wide from just outside the box.

But moments later the hosts were handed a seventh-minute opener in bizarre circumstances. Tom Aldred rolled the ball back to Simpson, who tried to boot the ball straight back up the middle, but Mangan jumped to block Simpson’s clearance and it cannoned off his back and into the Stanley net.

Shrewsbury could scarcely believe their luck but they set about building on that early boost. Aldred’s tackle prevented Akpa Akpro pulling the trigger while left-back Jordan Mustoe had to clear a cross behind.Akpa Akpro again got behind the Stanley defence far too easily and forced a fine save from Simpson low to his left, before Ashley Vincent volleyed wide from Akpa Akpro’s deft through ball.

The Reds finally earned some respite, which resulted in Joyce dragging a 25-yard strike wide in the 21st minute. The Stanley skipper then picked out Hunt on the right wing and although his cross found James Gray, the striker missed a gilt-edged opportunity as he sent a free header well wide.

Josh Windass drilled a 20-yard shot wide as Stanley’s best spell continued, before the hosts replied with Akpa Akpro fizzing a long-range strike just over.

There were two stoppages for injuries and the Shrews almost caught Stanley napping after play resumed, with Mangan’s low cross cleared just over his own bar by Mustoe.

But with Stanley looking to have weathered that early storm, they fell further behind following a comedy of errors. If the first goal was a bad one to concede, the second was shocking.

After Simpson’s early mishap the home crowd cheered ironically every time the ball went near him and the manner in which his defenders were dealing with the ball in front of him hardly inspired confidence.

They never looked comfortable on the ball and, in the 42nd minute, centre-half Dean Winnard again pondered in possession in the right channel. His attempted clearance was blocked by Clark, with the ball looping into the Stanley box. Simpson charged out of goal and completely misread the bounce, allowing it to go over his head. Mangan nipped in behind him to win the ball and with the goal at his mercy, Simpson decided to pull him down.

Referee Chris Sarginson had little choice but to show Simpson a red card and the rookie keeper couldn’t get off quick enough, jogging towards the Reds’ dug-out.

George Bowerman was sacrificed for substitute keeper Jay Lynch, who came on for his Stanley debut, but he dived the wrong way from Akpa Akpro’s 44th-minute spot-kick, with the former Rochdale and Tranmere striker sidefooting low to Lynch’s left.

The Reds were crying out for the half-time whistle but worse was to come before the break. The Shrews won a corner in the first minute of stoppage time and centre-half Connor Goldson was given the space to chest down Liam Lawrence’s delivery and let it bounce before volleying home from seven yards.

David Lloyd, one of Accrington’s most famous sons, has made ‘start the car’ his catch phrase during his cricket commentary. And the 54 Stanley fans who’d made the journey would have been forgiven for doing just that following a wretched first half.

And it got little better after the restart. Goldson was again left unmarked from a corner to head goalwards but Mustoe, guarding the far post, turned it wide. The corner was cleared but centre-half Nathaniel Knight-Percival remained forward and beat Mustoe in the box before seeing his low shot saved by Lynch.

Vincent sent a tame effort straight at the ex-Bolton trainee while Mangan blazed over from distance and Lawrence’s deflected strike was well taken by Lynch.A fourth goal was inevitable and it came in the 65th minute. Left-back Mickey Demetriou waltzed round Hunt as if he wasn’t there and laid off for Akpa Akpro, whose stylish cross with the outside of his right foot was headed inside the far post by Mangan.

A wayward pass by Hatfield almost landed Stanley in more trouble, forcing Lynch to dive at the feet of Vincent to prevent Shrewsbury scoring a fifth. Demetriou’s cut-back from the left then went all the way through to Vincent, whose first-time strike from 12 yards was superbly saved by Lynch.

A rare foray forward by Stanley resulted in Lawrence pulling back Hatfield on the left wing and Windass’ vicious free-kick forced keeper Jason Leutwiler to turn it wide of his near post. When the Reds did venture forward they ran the risk of leaving themselves exposed at the back and ex-Stanley loanee James Caton, who came off the bench for Shrewsbury, saw a cross turned wide of his own goal by Windass.

Marcus Carver was given a run-out for the Reds and flashed a volley wide on the break before Caton headed over from a late corner, but the manner in which Stanley were defending set-pieces – even with 10 men – was another case of concern for Beattie.

Stanley: Simpson 5, Hunt 5, Winnard 5, Aldred 6, Mustoe 5, Hatfield 5 (Naismith 80), Joyce 6, Windass 6, Mingoia 6, Gray 5 (Carver 75, 6), Bowerman 5 (Lynch 43, 7). Subs: Alabi, Atkinson, Goulding, McCartan.
Attendance: 4,298 (54 away).