Town: Scott Bevan, Luke Jones, James Meredith, Darren Moss (capt), Martin Riley, Colin Murdock, Chris Humphrey, Jimmy Ryan, Guy Madjo, James Constable, Tom Moss (Gibson, 89)

Substitutes: Aaron Gibson, Jasbir Singh, Leon Miles, Kallum Evitts, Andre Grey

Martin Wild reports from the new stadium

Town's second string had a familiar look to it, as no less than eight players starting this evening had experienced first team action this season. Two - Chris Humphrey and James Constable - enjoyed second half run outs in yesterday's home draw with Notts County.

Town almost scored after just two minutes. Jimmy Ryan floated in a free-kick which James Constable was first to, and although his header beat Gavin Carlin's dive in the visitor's goal, the ball bounced against the upright and the danger was cleared.

Albion immediately capitalised on their early fortune when Jack Compton split the Town defence leaving centre forward Bartosz Slusarski in the clear. He advanced towards Scott Bevan before coolly rounding the keeper and putting a left foot shot into an unguarded goal.

It was end to end stuff and Constable was denied again soon after when he capitalised on some poor defending by Albion's Matthew Pike. His shot was poked wide of Carlin but Scott Mason was back in time to clear off the line.

Constable should have put Town level after thirteen minutes. Good work down the left by Tom Moss ended in the winger delivering an inch perfect cross for the striker who was coming in at the back post completely unmarked. Only he can know how he contrived to head the ball over from around six yards out. And moments later he was again denied by a smart save from Carlin who kept the ball out with his legs to prevent Town from drawing level. It was no exaggeration to say that Constable could have scored four times in the opening quarter of an hour and the Midlander's goal was leading a very charmed life indeed.

After a pulsating start to the game, both teams began to cancel one another out and there was little in the way of serious goalmouth action, with only routine saves for the two goalkeepers to deal with.

That man Constable again went close when Pike deflected his right foot shot away from goal, but from the resultant corner Shrews drew level. Jimmy Ryan's 38th minute flag kick was met unchallenged at the near post by triallist Martin Riley and he headed home a deserved equaliser.

Baggies nearly went back in front when goalscorer Slusarski forced Bevan into a smart save low to his left, and Darren Moss went close for Salop in stoppage time, but the teams couldn't be separated at the interval.

Half-Time: 1-1

The home side went ahead right at the start of the second half. Another Tom Moss raid down the left delivered another telling cross deep into the West Brom area, leaving Guy Madjo time and space to despatch a neatly cushioned volley beyond a hapless Carlin.

Three minutes later and Town extended their lead with Madjo again on target. Chris Humphrey this time worked some trickery down the opposite flank, and his pinpoint ball from the by-line was headed home by the Cameroon striker with consummate ease.

It was the perfect start for the Shrews who had turned the screw in much the same way as they had at the outset. Jimmy Ryan was pulling the strings in the centre of the park, there was good width on both flanks and with Madjo and Constable up front, the goal threat was constant.

West Brom did carve out a couple of opportunities of their own most notably for Stefan Morrison, but Bevan did well to block the strikers shot as he looked set to half the deficit.

Just past the hour mark Albion did score to make it 3-2. David Worrall's corner was volleyed in by Pike and the contest was far from over.

A blistering 30-yard Ryan free-kick was tipped over by Carlin midway through the second half, as the game continued to provide excellent entertainment for those inside Oteley Road.

Ryan was a worthy candidate for man-of-the-match and raised his profile still further with a great cross onto the head of Darren Moss, who planted his effort wide of Carlin to restore the two-goal advantage for the home side with fourteen minutes remaining.

Luke Jones prodded home a loose ball to rub further salt into West Bromwich wounds as the clock ticked on towards the ninety minute mark, and rubber stamped a third straight win for the reserves following earlier victories against Potteries rivals Port Vale and Stoke City.

Manager Paul Simpson was delighted with the teams performance as I caught up with him in the tunnel after the game.

"I thought it was a very good performance particularly in the second half," he said. "I thought the only thing missing in the first half was the finishing; we created chances and it was a very pleasing performance.

"It's important to get a winning mentality so results are important at whatever level you play. Winning games breeds confidence and allows players to relax a bit more and I thought we did everything right. The difference between the sides tonight was the finishing it's as simple as that. First half we didn't take our chances but second half we did and they kept battling away to get what they deserved.

"Chris Humphrey out on the wing caused all sorts of problems, Guy took his goals really well and could have had a third so there were lots of good performances out there. It won't do us any harm; we got a good result against Stoke last week and another win against a strong Championship club tonight.

"The sooner we can get enough points on the board at first team level to secure our place in the division the better, because there are players I'd like to have a look at in the first team as opposed to reserve team football. When we achieve that, it will give me an opportunity to look at some players on the outside of the first team at the moment."

Full-Time: 5-2