Taylor nets twice as reserves ease to win
Shrewsbury Town were convincing 4-0 winners over Oldham Athletic in their opening Central League game of the season.
A youthful Oldham Athletic side struggled throughout to contain a slick Town team with three of the goals coming in the first half.
The impressive Jon Taylor scored twice while defender Connor Goldson and hard running striker Tom Bradshaw also weighed in.
Former Boundary Park men Reuben Hazell and Joe Jacobson lent their experience to a Town back four also including first year scholar Dominic Smith, a Shrewsbury boy, at right back.
Midfielder Asa Hall was denied the chance to enhance his first team claims after being ruled out of the game owing to a dead leg.
Taylor was first to go close when he cut inside from the left and fired wide.
Tom Bradshaw, looking lively, was next to to go close when his low shot from 20 yards was turned round a post by Oldham goalkeeper Liam Jacob.
It proved only a temporary reprieve for the Latics, though, as Oldham failed to clear the resulting corner from Elliott Turner and Taylor slammed home a fierce shot from 12 yards for a 23rd minute breakthough.
Taylor almost struck again straight away but this time he was just off target from the edge of the box.
Shrewsbury were becoming increasingly dominant and Bradshaw raced through only to be denied by a sharp stop from keeper Jacob.
Aaron Wildig, impressing in central midfield, then stung the gloves of Jacob from 20 yards before Town doubled their advantage on the half-hour when central defender Connor Goldson powered a header from another accurate Turner corner to the top corner of the net.
Joe Anyon was a spectator as Town continued to pour forward wth left back Jacobson next to go close when his free kick from just outside the box was tipped over the bar by the overworked Jacob.
But there was nothing the Oldham keeper could do when Taylor grabbed his second and Town's third in the 38th minute, the little winger on target with a sweetly struck shot from the edge of the penalty after a skilful run.
Taylor so nearly completed a first half hat-trick when, played in by Bradshaw, his shot was turned round the near post by Jacob.
It continued to be one way traffic in the second half with Jacobson bending another free kick just off target before Bradshaw celebrated his latest Wales under-21 call up with his goal his display deserved just shy of the hour.
Fed by Ryan Woods with his back to goal, Bradshaw turned sharply before firing a shot on the turn to the bottom corner of the net.
Goldson then almost joined Taylor in scoring twice when his shot was saved at point blank range by Jacob before the irrepressible Taylor's drive was touched over the bar by the keeper and young midfielder Turner was denied by a goalline clearance.
The only surprise was that Town did not run out even more comfortable winners but it was a pleasing start to the season for Shrewsbury's second string.
TOWN: Anyon; Smith, Hazell, Goldson, Jacobson; Taylor (Gwilliams 86), Wildig (Carpenter 86), Woods, Turner; Doble (Musslewhite 86), Bradshaw. Unused sub: Wearing.
OLDHAM: Jacob, Jones, Willis, Nelson, Belezika, Cooper, Millar, Mellor, Taylor, Wanless, Hughes. Subs: Sutherland, Simpson, McIntosh, Gossett, Edwards.