Cheltenham Town: Scott Brown, David Bird (c), Lee Ridley, Michael Townsend, Drissa Diallo, Michael Pook, Justin Richards (Lewis, 84), David Hutton (Alsop, 79), Elvis Hammond, Josh Low, Barry Hayles

Subs: Andy Gallinagh, Kyle Haynes, Tom Denton, Theo Lewis, Sam Cox, Julian Alsop, Barry Richardson

Goal: Hayles 60

Town: Steve Phillips, Dean Holden, Graham Coughlan (c), Kelvin Langmead, Dave Hibbert (Elder, 81), Jake Robinson (Bright, 81), Paul Murray, Jake Simpson (Neal, 55), Shane Cansdell-Sherriff, Joss Labadie, Kevin McIntyre

Subs: Nathan Elder, Kris Bright, Steve Leslie, Harry Hooman, Andre Gray, Andreas Arestidou, Lewis Neal

Goals: Hibbert 72, Labadie 74

Attendance: 2,928 (482 away)

Referee: Mr. J. Waugh

Assistants: Mr. J. Amey, Mr. A. Bennett

Fourth Official: Mr. N. Radford

Martin Wild reports from Whaddon Road

For the fourth consecutive game, Paul Simpson goes with the same starting line-up. Dean Holden has recovered from a slight groin pull to take his place at right full back, and even the bench has that by now familiar look to it.

It's a warm evening down in Gloucestershire and the pitch is in superb condition. The hosts haven't won at home since the opening day - a run which now stands at five games in all competitions. It's one that boss Martin Allen will be keen to address against in-form Shrews.

The allotted area in the corner of the In 2 Print Stand for visiting supporters was full by kick-off, and an overspill section behind the goal was opened to accommodate a healthy and noisy travelling support.

After five minutes, Dave Hibbert won a free-kick in a dangerous area just in front of the Town fans. Kevin McIntyre and Jake Simpson stood over the ball and when Simpson delivered a whipped, pacey centre, Kelvin Langmead arrived just a fraction too late at the back post to make any kind of connection.

There wasn't much between the sides in the opening exchanges but one eye-catching piece of play ought to have brought Salop a corner. Hibbert played a neat one-two with Robinson and appeared to have drawn the tackle from Drissa Diallo. Incredibly, the referee awarded a goal-kick - and the verdict wasn't the first to cause the eyebrows to raise, with the hosts benefitting from a number of early 50/50 calls.

This is the third time in four games that Shrewsbury are competing against a side who were playing at a higher level this time last year. After victories over Crewe and Northampton, a win here would make for a very creditable hat-trick.

Joss Labadie had to receive some treatment on the near side following an accidental clash of heads, and before the young midfielder could rejoin the action, Hibbert was soon rubbing his head after another aerial challenge, which saw Josh Low come off slightly worse.

Eighteen minutes had gone by and neither keeper had been called into any action, but a crisp drive from Paul Murray soon put paid to that stat with Scott Brown going full length to hold the 25-yarder low to his right.

There were several meaty challenges going in and Michael Pook overstepped the mark by felling Murray, and he couldn't have too many complaints about the yellow card he received.

Lee Ridley had already demonstrated a more than passable impression of Rory Delap with some huge throw-ins, and another one almost saw Barry Hayles profit, but Town were happy to scramble the ball behind and the corner came to nothing.

On 25 minutes, Steve Phillips made a good save to stop Low who chanced his arm from distance with an accurate right footer, and it extended Shrews proud defensive record to 350 minutes without conceding.

Simpson's men were close to scoring on the half-hour. Robinson back-heeled intelligently to get Simpson away, and was on the end of the low cross but struck the outside of the post from the edge of the box. Labadie was unable to readjust his feet and scooped the rebound well over.

Cheltenham struck back and when captain David Bird sent over a free-kick, Diallo and Hayles had found some room at the heart of the Town defence. It looked like Diallo who made contact with his header, and he should have done much better than put the ball in amongst the home fans in the small terrace away to our left.

It was a decent game with both sides pushing for the opener and Elvis Hammond was the next to get a strike in, but once again the effort was closer to the bank of trees behind the goal than the goal itself. David Hutton was much closer moments later, but he couldn't get quite enough bend on the ball and it sailed harmlessly wide. It still drew warm applause from manager Allen in front of the dug-outs.

The home team had perhaps shaded the last ten minutes with Town a little more subdued from an attacking perspective, and this looked like providing a much tougher test than any of those which have seen the team win their last three matches.

Labadie had to change his jersey and shorts just before the break, with the physio once again applying a liberal amount of petroleum jelly to the head wound sustained earlier.

McIntyre received a booking in stoppage time after conceding possession a little too cheaply in the centre of the park, but it was all to play for in the second half as the teams went in level.

Half-Time: 0-0

Town got the second half underway defending the Carlsberg Stand with Labadie having been bandaged during the interval, to try and protect the cut which had forced his treatment on two separate occasions in the opening period.

Shrewsbury began brightly enough but one or two final passes weren't of the required standard, and the visitors were unable to test Brown in the home goal - despite working their way into some promising situations.

Justin Richards fired just over for Allen's side in a rare attack, and Simpson made his first change when Lewis Neal came on for Simpson with 35 minutes still remaining.

Robinson was the busier of Salop's front pairing, and one trademark burst from deep ended with the in form striker dragging his shot wide from the right hand side of the penalty box.

Bang on the hour, veteran striker Hayles created some space in the area by cleverly rolling Langmead, and buried his shot past Phillips with his left foot to give Cheltenham the lead. It maintained their record of having scored in every game this season and ended Town's impressive run of not conceding. Phillips had been beaten for the first time in almost six and a half hours!

As Town looked to hit back quickly, an incisive break saw Hibbert pick out Neal with a neat through ball, but the winger - operating down the right rather than his favoured left - couldn't direct his shot on target and Cheltenham breathed again. A minute or two later he set his sights on goal again and was much nearer this time, but the goalkeeper wasn't called upon to make any save.

It was a decent response having gone behind and the near 500 strong contingent of away fans were doing all they could to rouse their heroes. It was a fantastic turnout from the supporters for a midweek fixture, on a ground that's hardly what you would call on your doorstep.

They got their reward on 72 minutes in the most bizarre of circumstances. Hibbert chased what appeared to be one of several lost causes, but Brown's clearance struck the industrious striker as he closed down the space, and rebounded back towards the unguarded goal with just a single bounce before the ball nestled into the back of the net.

Before Town's happy fans could retake their seats, Salop got their noses in front. Hibbert climbed for a ball like he was on stilts, Labadie nipped in before Brown could react, and the West Brom loanee rolled home from a tight angle to send this little corner of Gloucestershire into blue and amber raptures!

With nine minutes left, Simmo again made a change introducing Nathan Elder and Kris Bright as a new front pairing, with Hibbert and Robinson having worked their proverbial socks off all night long.

With just over five minutes to go, Town had an amazing let-off. Pook let fly from fully 30 yards and was desperately unlucky to see his shot cannon away off the goal frame, with Phillips clawing at thin air.

The home side then appealed for a penalty but the referee looked disinterested. To be fair, they could barely complain about the amount of decisions that had gone in their favour this evening, and all bias aside, the referee got this one spot-on.

It was all hands to the pump as Cheltenham pushed for a late leveller, and substitute Theo Lewis was just wide in the first of four additional minutes.

The defending was heroic to a man and Shrews missed the chance to counter right at the end, but they held on and the victory was the fourth in succession to place Shrews right in the thick of the leading pack.

Full-Time: 1-2

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