Crewe 1 Shrewsbury 2 - Report and pictures

Whalley struck a spectacular goal right at the end of normal time to clinch Town's first away victory since November 20.

Larnell Cole's 10th minute opener had been cancelled out by Ryan Colclough's equaliser 16 minutes later.

In truth, it was hard on Crewe, who played a full part in a hugely entertaining game that saw chances at both ends as Town goalkeeper Mark Halstead made two fine saves.

But Micky Mellon's side never gave up and they delighted their 1,203 following with a win that left their manager pumping his fists in the air to the fans at the final whistle.

Town made three changes from Saturday's 1-1 draw against Fleetwood as Zak Whitbread, Cole and Whalley replaced Nat Knight-Percival, Jordan Clark and Liam McAlinden.

Crewe (4-3-3): Garratt; Turton, Ajayi, Nugent, Guthrie; King (Inman 74), Fox, Jones; Lowe, Haber, Colclough.

Subs not used: Atkinson, Cooper, Saunders, Binham, Baillie, Richards (gk).

Town (4-4-2): Halstead 8; Smith 6, Gerrard 7, Whitbread 8, Brown 7; WHALLEY 8 (Knight-Percival 90+4), Ogogo 7, Black 8, Cole 8; Vernon 8 (Barnett, 83, 6), Collins 6 (Akpa Akpro 73, 6).

Subs not used: Lawrence, Clark, McAlinden, Burton (gk).

Whitbread and Cole returned after respective hamstring and groin injuries, while Whalley was making his first league start.

Left-back Junior Brown shook off the groin injury that forced him off against Swindon to line up against his hometown club.

Town started with an orthodox 4-4-2 with Whalley wide right and Cole on the left wing, which saw Vernon pushed up alongside James Collins up front from the tip of the diamond against Crewe's 4-3-3.

Shrewsbury started brightly in front of what looked like their biggest away following of the season and played well in an entertaining first half that swung one way then the other.

And Town deservedly took the lead in stunning fashion to rock the hosts.

Vernon started the move by finding Cole out wide and he took on Oliver Turton before drilling a low, left foot drive across goalkeeper Ben Garratt and into the bottom corner of the net.

Town had a real scare though in the 14th minute when Ryan Lowe's point-blank toe poke was blocked by Mark Halstead, after Marcus Haber beat Whitbread far too easily to cross from the left.

And after surviving one let-off, Crewe weren't about to let Salop off the hook again when they equalised.

The visitors were caught a man short as Ryan Lowe spotted Colclough peeling away unmarked to his left and he slotted a low left foot shot across Halstead from 20 yards.

Colclough scented blood and he tried to double his tally three minutes after the equaliser with a 25-yard free kick, but his drilled effort hit the wall and Ian Black blocked his rebound.

But in an end to end first half, Town missed two golden chances to regain the lead in the 34th minute.

Whalley was causing left-back Jon Guthrie problems with his pace and when he beat him again, he produced a peach of a cross only for Vernon to miss it before Cole ballooned it high over the bar.

Town kept up their momentum and a minute later Vernon put Collins through and he cut inside but his low, bouncing shot was too close to Garratt.

Action switched to the other end and Lowe's volleyed flick was punched away by Halstead, then Adam King flashed a swerving drive into the side-netting as Crewe hit back.

In a high-tempo start to the second half, Town looked for the breakthrough.

Collins briefly got himself into a one on one with Garratt but Semi Ajayi showed superb recovery to nip the ball off him and snuff out the danger.

Action again switched to the other end where Haber pulled it back for Lowe, who rifled a rising first-time fierce effort high over the bar.

There was a real flash-point in the 55th minute when Haber floored Ian Black by cynically jumping at him and he appeared lucky to only be shown the yellow card rather than red.

Crewe put that behind them however to threaten again and it took a fine reflex save from Halstead to tip over a swerving effort from Colclough just before the hour mark.

There was danger for Town in the 64th minute when Lowe's curling free kick was clawed away by Halstead at full stretch springing to his left.

But with no sign of the pace letting up, chances continued to come at both ends.

Vernon looked to pounce from point blank range, but Crewe somehow smuggled the ball away after it hit the post.

Then Lowe got clear of the Town defence, but his placed effort sailed inches wide of the far upright.

Crewe remained on the attack and Jon Guthrie's hooked effort at the far post took a deflection for a corner, after Lowe flicked on a cross.

David Fox was next to try his luck and his skidding 30-yard drive flew just wide, before Cole fired off target from the edge of the box at the other end.

But just as it looked as if it was going to end all square, Whalley curled home a beauty.

Sub Tyrone Barnett started the move with a surging run into the box and he found fellow replacement Jean-Louis Akpa Akpro.

He teed up the winger to pick his spot with a left foot curling effort into the top corner of the net, giving Garratt no chance.

There was almost a third Town in time added on on the break when Cole swept a cross-field ball to Barnett and he powered into the box but his shot was blocked.

They might have rode their luck at times but they played well and it was their day. Now they've got to keep it up.