Shrewsbury fell to a harsh 2-0 defeat against Bolton at the Croud Meadow.
In what - overall - was an even and keenly contested 90 minutes, Paris Maghoma put the visitors ahead shortly past the hour mark.
Aaron Morley then sealed the points with a strike deep into added-on time.
The loss, though, was a tough one to take for Matt Taylor's side with there being little to separate the two sides over the 90 minutes.
But it was Bolton who found that quality at key times - with that enough to see the promotion chasers claim all three points.
Team news:
Boss Taylor opted to make two changes from the team that secured an FA Cup victory over Colchester on Saturday.
Having been suspended for that game, Chey Dunkley came back into the middle of the back three where he lined up alongside Tom Flanagan and Joe Anderson.
That meant Jason Sraha moved to left wing-back with Carl Winchester on the right.
In a 3-4-2-1 system, Jordan Shipley and Tom Bayliss both operated in the number 10 role behind Dan Udoh.
Bolton lined up in a 3-5-2 formation with Dion Charles and Victor Adeboyejo the front two.
Report:
In what was a keenly contested opening 20 minutes, both teams showed a real desire to get forward and seize the initiative.
And it was Town who came closest to breaking the deadlock in a move that started with a wonderful diagonal ball from Anderson.
That pass allowed Bayliss and Udoh to combine in the box with the former Coventry man then seeing a shot deflect inches wide.
Both teams continued to get into dangerous areas from that point with Bolton coming close to opening the scoring midway through the half.
George Thomason did well to hit the byline before picking out Adeboyejo with a low cross. From 12 yards, he then fired over the bar.
From that attack, Town went straight up the other end with Shipley firing wide from just outside the box.
It was Salop who created the first chance of the second half when the ball came back out to Flanagan from a long throw - with the defender then drilling a strike wide.
In the 65th minute, though, Bolton managed to get their noses in front when Paris Maghoma found the back of the net from just outside the box.
Town had a glorious chance to pull level 10 minutes later when Udoh slipped in Bayliss. But his low strike was claimed by goalkeeper Nathan Baxter.
Bolton then almost secured the points when Charles was slipped in on goal only for Flanagan to deny him with an outstanding last-ditch challenge.
Town were forced to change their goalkeeper shortly after with Harry Burgoyne replacing the injured Marosi.
And the Ludlow-born shot-stopper went on to make an outstanding save moments later when Bolton sent a low cross right into the danger area.
That was met by Dan Nlundulu who turned the ball towards goal. But from point-blank range, Burgyone managed to stick out a leg and turn the ball against the post.
Town pressed for an equaliser in added-on time.
First, a cross into the box appeared to hit the arm of a Bolton defender. But despite strong appeals from the Salop players, referee Sam Allison waved play on.
Seconds later, Joe Anderson tried to find the bottom corner from 18 yards but goalkeeper Nathan Baxter got down well to keep the ball out.
With Shrewsbury throwing bodies forward, Bolton grabbed a second deep into nine minutes of added-on time - with the ball breaking for Aaron Morley who fired in from just outside the box.
Teams:
Shrewsbury: Marosi (Burgoyne 75), Anderson, Dunkley, Flanagan, Sraha, Kenneh (Mata 71), Perry, Winchester, Shipley (Sobowale 71), Bayliss (Pierre 88), Udoh.
Subs not used: Thorpe, Benning, Bennett.
Bolton: Baxter, Jones (Forrester 49), Thomason, Santos, Sheehan, Charles (Nlundulu 79), Dacres-Cogley, Adeboyejo (Bödvarsson 80), Toal, Maghoma (Morley 86), Williams.
Subs not used: Iredale, Mendes Gomes, Jerome.
Referee: Tom Reeves
Attendance: 5901 (1309 away)
