By Daz Davies

After Tuesday’s disappointment against Barnet, The Shrews need a marked improvement if they are to get their promotion push back on track and the visit of basement boys Luton along with their 800 or so fans proved to be the perfect tonic.

Shrewsbury started with Humphrey playing wide right and Ben Davies converting to the left, with the return to midfield of Paul Murray making his first start since August.

The only slight surprise was that Jackson continued his partnership at the back with Coughlan instead of Langmead being brought back in.

Straight from the first whistle Shrewsbury marked their intentions for the game going straight for the Luton jugular, the thinking perhaps that boss Paul Simpson was intent on not conceding the early goal which had occured in two out of the last three games, all of which town failed to win!

As early as the first minute Shrewsbury forced a corner and from the resulting cross Richard Walker saw his headed effort go over the bar.

The early pressure paid dividends on four minutes, this time a cross wasn’t cleared properly by the Luton defence and the ball found its way out to Paul Murray on the edge of the box and from 20 yards drilled a low shot through the crowd in the box and past the despairing dive of Logan in the Luton goal.

Luton’s response was a little tame with some well wide efforts from Gnakpa as Shrewsbury continued to pile forward causing problems for the Luton defence.

First Davies found space only to shoot wide, Walker again saw a headed effort go over the bar and Luton keeper Logan denying Shrewsbury from going further in front with saves from Holt, Davies and Mcintyre.

Luton’s only real chance of the half came from a 25 yard drive from Mcveigh which Garner smartly tipped over.

Garner seemed to be commanding his box a lot better than against Barnet, punching clear a cross and free-kick and collecting the ball comfortably.

The pattern of game continued in the second half as Town looked for that second goal to ease them towards three points and a home win and as early as second minute of the half as Davies’ shot at the back post was again denied by Logan.

Though Mick Hartford’s men kept Shrewsbury close at 1-0 for over 70 mins you sensed the score should have been a lot more but for the determination of Luton keeper Logan.

Luton’s resistance finally broke on the 76th minute. From a throw-in on the left Holt found Davies on edge of box who allowed the ball to drop in front of him before unleashing an unstoppable angled drive that flew into the top corner,the celebrations from Davies and players afterwards a mix of relief and a mark of a brilliant goal.

Simpson, you feel, needs to keep hold of Davies in the January transfer window if The Shrews are going to keep their promotion dream alive!

Following the second goal a disturbance broke out at the visitors end and the stewards and police were brought in to restore order.

Shrewsbury continued going forward looking for more goals Simpson though ringing in the changes taking off Humphrey for Leslie and the tireless Murray for Sigurdsson.

The Shrews weren’t finished yet and three minutes from time put the icing on the cake with Walker and Holt combining for the third.

Walker, using his strength, took the ball past a defender on the left before drilling the ball across the six yard box and Holt, under pressure from the Luton defence, allowing the ball to go through his legs and then cheekily back heeling the ball past the despairing Logan.

Right at the death Tierney went into a two footed tackle which for a brief few seconds had the Town fans holding the breath hoping he wouldn’t be sent off and to their and Tierney’s relief, the card was only yellow.

So The Shrews back to winning ways and though Luton didn’t provide the toughest opposition, it was a very professional performance.

Next weekend’s trip to Blyth Spartans for the first round of the FA Cup provides a gentle distraction from the League and, though the tie could be a potential banana skin, it should not be a problem based on this performance.