Shrewsbury Town

Town: Weale, Tavernier, Jacobson, Summerfield, Winfield, Mkandawire (c), Wildig, McAllister (Goldson, 80), Bradshaw, Parry (McQuade, 84), Marsden (Woods, 78).

Subs: McQuade, Anyon, Woods, Jones, Goldson, Santana, Smith

Goals: Wildig, 29. Bradshaw, 40, 55.

Manchester City EDS: Lawlor (Plummer, 66), Facey, Bossaerts (c), Denayer (Hutton, 77), Leigh, Evans (Gunn, 66), Drury, Fofana (Ntcham, 66), Cole (Glendon, 66), Rusnak, Bytyqi.

Subs: Plummer, Gunn, Marin, Hutton, Ntcham, Glendon, Henshall.

Goals: Cole, 31. Rusnak (pen, 83)

Referee: Mr. R. Ellis

Attendance: 681 (65)

Goals from Aaron Wildig and a brace for birthday boy Tom Bradshaw gave Town the 3-2 victory in a testing encounter with Patrick Vieira’s Manchester City Elite Development Squad at the Greenhous Meadow.

In contrast to the recent goal-fests with Bolton and Birmingham, the open exchanges were an altogether slower tempo affair. City demonstrated their possession game from the outset but failed to test Weale until the 14 minute mark when Albert Rusnak’s clever through ball for Devonte Cole was smothered well by the Town stopper.

But the game did take-off on the half-hour mark with a sudden burst of goal action. First, Paul Parry took the ball on the right-flank for Town and guided in a perfect inswinging cross for Wildig to ghost in unmarked at the back post and volley home in what was Town’s first meaningful attack.

Barely two minutes later, and the visitors had a leveller. Good interchange play by Rusnak and Shay Facey found the latter on the by-line and he cut back a pinpoint ball for Andy Cole’s son, Devonte, to stroke home.

Wildig had the chance to double his tally six minutes before the break when Parry’s exquisite chipped through ball sent him through, but this time Lawlor in the City goal was on hand to save well with his legs.

But a minute later and Town were back in front. Tamika Mkandawire made a vital challenge on the edge of his own penalty area and instinctively fired a route one through ball down field that Bradshaw read perfectly before racing through on goal, steadying himself, and coolly firing under Lawlor to put the Shrews ahead at the break.

Parry almost had Town 3-1 ahead within two minutes of the restart, firing a low 20-yard free kick into the side netting that had parts of the ground cheering.

But Town did have a third on 55 minutes, and it was a second of the game for in-form man Bradshaw. Parry did well again on the by-line, taking on Greg Leigh before cutting back for a loitering Bradshaw to steer into the corner.

John Marsden almost grabbed his second goal of pre-season when Wildig worked hard to steal back possession in the City half and fed the striker, but substitute keeper Angus Dunn saved the angled effort well.

City pulled a goal back against the run of play with seven minutes remaining when Adam Drury’s mazy run was halted unfairly by Joe Jacobson. Slovakian Rusnak stepped up to the spot kick and converted nonchalantly, chipping down the middle after Weale had committed, but Town held on to secure back-to-back pre-season victories ahead of next week’s curtain raiser with MK Dons.