Amid the inevitable disappointment came a glimmer of light.

While Shrewsbury Town were contemplating defeat in their top-of-the-table duel at Crawley, the man who toppled them was joining a growing band of observers who are steadfast in their belief that Graham Turner’s side are destined for promotion this season.

A much improved second half display in this latest of testing away encounters against League Two’s leading lights provided evidence that the prediction of Crawley boss Steve Evans may well become a reality.

But for all those encouraging words and a final 45 minutes which contained its share of promise, Shrewsbury ended their first ever visit to the Broadfield Stadium with no shortage of frustration.

While Crawley prefer a direct style rather than pleasing the purists, they are wholly effective and today find themselves looking down on the remainder of League Two after five successive victories.

Shrewsbury aren’t the first team to come a cropper at the home of the newest entry into the Football League charts and certainly won’t be the last.

But they departed Sussex with reason to regret their first half display after allowing Crawley to open up what was to prove an unassailable 2-0 advantage.

Town are at their most eye-catching and dangerous when their passing and movement is at its most fluid.

But – while the hosts deserve credit for their intense closing down – Shrewsbury were wasteful in possession and restricted in their movement during a lacklustre opening 45 minutes and paid the price against the big-spending pre-season title favourites.

The afternoon could – and almost certainly would – have taken a different course had Mark Wright converted the chance of the first half from 10 yards after just eight minutes.

Former Town loanee Scott Shearer was equal to that challenge, while Lionel Ainsworth – from 35 yards – and Terry Gornell also forced opening period saves from the Scottish shot-stopper.

But lapses in defensive concentration have in recent weeks proved costly to Shrewsbury and they were punished for failing to track a runner on 13 minutes.

The name of Torres hasn’t been a regular fixture on Premier League scoresheets this season, but Crawley’s Sergio succeeded where Chelsea’s Fernando has failed by picking his spot when afforded space from just inside the box after a lay-off from Tyrone Barnett.

Former AFC Telford forward Barnett wasted two good chances to extend the lead while Matt Tubbs was denied by a smart Chris Neal save after a badly mis-placed pass from Wright.

But crucially Town’s hopes of limiting the first half damage to a solitary goal ended three minutes before the interval as Dean Powell doubled the home side’s lead, drilling a 22 yard free kick into bottom corner after a Shane Cansdell-Sherriff foul on Barnett.

If Turner wanted a response after the break, his side provided one.

Braver in possession from the first whistle, Town had threatened through half chances from Nicky Wroe and Cansdell-Sherriff by the time they found the net with a flowing 72nd minute move which highlighted the attributes of Graham Turner’s side.

A handful of passes had been put together before Joe Jacobson’s first time cross was polished off by Wright with a sliding close range finish to a well worked move.

Town sustained their territorial advantage to the final whistle and, while clear cut chances were at a premium, the two substitutes almost combined for an equaliser as a fully stretched James Collins narrowly failed to apply the finishing touch to a teasing centre from Jon Taylor.

The second half display proved Turner’s long-held theory that when Shrewsbury click into gear, they are a match for anyone in League Two.

But on Saturday, it was all too little too late.

Match analysis by JAMES GARRISON