Whalley, Vernon & Caton On Target In Draw
FOURTH OFFICIAL: Dell Hill
ASSISTANTS: Justice Abaka-Jacobs & Richard Booth
: Mark Griffiths REFEREE
UNUSED SUBS: Liam Roberts (GK).
: Craig MacGillivray (GK); Korey Roberts (Callum Cockerill-Mollet, 81), Lee Naylor, Liam Kinsella, Matt Preston, Raekwon Smith, Anthony Forde, Reece Flanagan (Jordan Sangha, 62), Jordan Cook, James Baxendale, Jordan Murphy (Mazir Kouhyar, 67). WALSALL LINE-UP
Mathew Jones, Tom King, Jordan Wilson. : UNUSED SUBS
Mark Halstead (GK); Sam Patterson, Callum Roberts, Dom Smith (c), Yann Sango'o (Callum Grogan, 69), Ian Black (George Hughes, 69), Rhys McCabe (James Caton, 45), Shaun Whalley, Liam McAlinden, Scott Vernon, Darren McKnight. SHREWSBURY TOWN LINE-UP:
FULL-TIME: Shrewsbury Town 3-3 Walsall
Then was even a chance for McAlinden to win it three minutes into injury time but his shot to the top left corner was superbly tipped behind by MacGillivray, and it finished all-square in the end.
However, Shrewsbury kept battling away and equalised in the 90th minute as Caton went through on goal, saw his initial low shot saved before he was able to put the second attempt into an empty net.
Walsall then took the lead for a third time in the 75th minute as Cook tapped in the rebound for his second of the game after Halstead made a stunning, one-handed save from Forde's long-range strike.
Town should then have taken the lead two minutes later as Whalley crossed deep from the right and McAlinden volleyed over the bar at the far post.
Liam McAlinden crossed from the left and Vernon headed against the post from close range, the ball then went back off Vernon towards goal, it was cleared off the goal line but the referee said the ball had already crossed the goal line.
And Shrewsbury equalised for a second time in the 59th minute in bizarre fashion.
The Saddlers also missed another great opportunity with 57 minutes on the clock as Matt Preston glanced wide a close-range header from Liam Kinsella's corner when he should have scored.
Within five minutes of the restart, Murphy was again denied by Halstead as he went through one on one and his low shot across goal was saved one-handed by the Town 'keeper.
HALF-TIME: Shrewsbury Town 1-2 Walsall
There was also another chance for Walsall on the stroke of half-time for Walsall as Jordan Murphy shot powerfully from the inside right and Halstead had to tip the ball away.
And Walsall retook the lead in the 41st minute as Korey Roberts' low cross was pulled back for Flanagan in the box who then smashed home high into the right corner.
At the other end, a minute later, a long free-kick from Black picked out Vernon superbly inside the box and he headed narrowly wide and low of the right post.
The visitors went close to taking the lead for a second time in the 38th minute as Flanagan curled a free-kick just over the top left corner from the edge of the box.
Then, at the other end, Whalley went through one on one but his low shot was saved and McAlinden's attempt to loft the rebound into an empty net was headed off the goal line by a Walsall defender.
First, Baxendale skied over the crossbar from the edge of the box for Walsall as the ball was pulled back to him.
The score remained level past the half-hour mark and there were chances for both sides to take the lead heading into half-time.
Whalley flicked the ball up for himself around 25 yards about before hitting a looping volley over Saddlers 'keeper Craig MacGillivray.
However, Shrewsbury cancelled out the opener seven minutes later in spectacular fashion.
Cook stepped up to fire the resulting spot-kick low into the left corner, sending Halstead the wrong way.
Walsall were then awarded a penalty with 17 minutes on the clock when Roberts tripped James Baxendale inside the Town penalty area.
The Shrews' first chance of the afternoon saw Whalley's free-kick from the right fall for Roberts at the far post and the young defenders's low shot was blocked on the goal line.
The Saddlers then had a chance in the 7th minute as Anthony Forde pulled the ball back for Flanagan whose scuffed shot almost looped in over Mark Halstead, but the Town goalkeeper back-peddled to tip the ball over his bar.
Walsall started the better and Cook went through on goal but shot low and wide of the left post in the first minute.
FIRST HALF
Midfielder Ian Black played his first game for the Club after signing a two-year deal on Monday.
Town named eight first-team professionals in the starting line-up for the match alongside two trialists and youth team defender Callum Roberts.
TEAM NEWS
Goals from Walsall's Jordan Cook (2) and Reece Flanagan were cancelled out by Shrewsbury's Shaun Whalley, Scott Vernon and James Caton in an entertaining game at Shrewsbury Sports Village.
Shrewsbury Town came from behind three times to earn a draw against Walsall in the Final Third Development League's West Division on Tuesday afternoon.