Pictures and analysis of Shrewsbury 3 Bolton 3

Marsden marked his passage from trialist to first-team player by taking an opportunist strike to keep Town in this high-scoring warm-up.

And loan striker Asante deservedly squared matters when he punished Zat Knight's mistake late in the game.

Salop are hardly bristling with the firepower of some of their League One rivals but live-wire Marsden made a swift impression.

That, along with Asante's ability to take a goal, suggests the Shrewsbury faithful are too hasty in worrying where the goals are going to be coming from.

They flowed with ease on Saturday, although there could have been more than three at the wrong end, such was the threat posed by the slick work of Chris Eagles and Marvin Sordell.

But Town were no slouches in the final third either with Paul Parry's ferociously-hit second-half volley equally as eye-catching as the shot Sordell drove from distance into the top corner before the break.

When Parry was pressed up front alongside Tom Bradshaw at the start of the Galatasaray game, it wasn't hard to spot where Town boss Graham Turner needed to make signings with the August 3 kick-off looming.

Birmingham City's inexperienced Asante and teenager Marsden, who was playing North West Counties football with Stockport Sports last season, may hardly be the inspirational signings the supporters crave.

But Turner wants a younger and hungrier Shrewsbury side to make waves against the division's bigger clubs and, on the evidence of their bright opening in blue and amber, the duo certainly seem to fit that bill.

Marsden's recent non-league journey hides a pedigree with Celtic's academy and the Merseysider amply demonstrated a well-coached footballing brain.

He got in front of his marker to poke Jon Taylor's cross into the roof of the net for Shrewsbury's 31st-minute equaliser.

Asante proved to be an early threat when he tested goalkeeper Adam Bogdan from 20 yards on an afternoon when both sides were prepared to pepper the goals.

Just as Sordell did after Rob Hall's bold advance offered him the space to bludgeon a rising drive past the helpless Chris Weale for the 19th-minute opener.

Bolton's passing was too slick for the home defenders at times and no more so than when Dougie Freedman's side restored their lead. Eagles found the bottom corner after taking a reverse pass from Darren Pratley.

Weale's reflexes rescued his side from more misery at the feet of the dominant Sordell, who seemed to fancy his chances from anywhere within 30 yards of goal. The half closed with the Championship outfit well on top .

And, after Dave Winfield blasted a juicy chance over at the other end, Sordell showed the home centre-half how to finish with a 25-yard screamer two minutes before the break.

But a more coherent offering from back to front in the second-half drew Town back into contention.

Joe Jacobson found his radar to drop a series of delicious deliveries over from the left which caused havoc at the back stick.

Marsden was close to profiting from one loose ball after Parry won the aerial battle, but the young striker was denied by a point-blank save from Bogdan.

Parry cut the arrears in style on 65 minutes when his sweet left-footed volley connected with a flag kick to leave Bogdan rooted to his goal-line. Sordell may have threatened to complete his hat-trick on several occasions.

But after Jacobson wasted a half-chance when he cut inside Alex Baptiste only to dolly his shot straight at Bogdan, Asante offered a cool finish for the equaliser 13 minutes from time.

He caught Knight dawdling in possession and galloped into the box to finish with aplomb into the far corner.

By Gwyn Griffiths