Oldham 2 Shrewsbury 3 - Report and pictures

Micky Mellon's side edged an entertaining encounter 3-2 after falling behind in the first-half to the Latics.

Junior Brown's second goal of the season hauled Salop level, before a controversial Ivan Toney spot-kick after the break handed Salop the lead.

Joe Riley's superb third had Town fans in dreamland before Ousmane Fane was dismissed for Oldham.

A late Lee Erwin goal had Shrewsbury holding on in seven minutes of added time but they deserved their three points.

The treacherous conditions made for a difficult opening for both sides, heaving rain made every first touch more difficult and stringing passes together was proving difficult.

A misjudged backwards header from Abu Ogogo was not taken in by Adam-El-Abd and the skipper conceded a foul. The resulting set-piece from Paul Green was wicked and met at the back post by skipper Peter Clarke who headed over the angle.

Moments later Salop burst into life and Brown's cute ball in from the left side split shot-stopper Connor Ripley and his defence but was just ahead of Town frontman Toney.

Oldham came closest yet on 10 minutes, Green's fine free-kick delivery was this time met by Lee Erwin who held off Olly Lancashire and sent a powerful header just wide of Jayson Leutwiler's far post.

Shrewsbury looked to have played themselves in on goal as Ogogo and Toney combined well to release Louis Dodds but the Salop No.10 was well shielded wide. He still got a shot away but it lacked the power to really trouble Ripley.

There were already encouraging signs of Ebanks-Blake and Toney interplay. Dodds and the former Wolves man combined to play in Toney, who rocketed a dipping strike from 30 yards just over Ripley's crossbar.

Despite Salop's encouraging attacking, there was little they could do about conceding ther breakthrough goal on 24 minutes. Ogogo had clattered into a Latics midfielder 25-yards out and right-back Law bent a delicious free-kick over the wall and into Leutwiler's bottom left corner.

The opener calmed things down in front of goal as neither side could recreate the early flurry of opportunities. But there was plenty of needle amid the thunderous northern rain. Town skipper El-Abd was the panto villain, his well-disguised holding not going down well with the Latics faithful.

Ogogo was fortunate to escape with just a booking for a rash challenge on Clarke, while the impressive Ousmane Fane was in the referee's book after halting a Toney break.

With two minutes to play before the break, Town began to up the ante with a succession of corners. Ogogo's effort from distance was deflected wide and as Riley's resulting set-piece was half-cleared, the wing back dinked in a peach with his left-foot that picked out Brown who flicked a header in off the crossbar for his second of the season.

Salop almost suffered the most disastrous opening to the second period as Freddie Ladapo danced around Grimmer but could only pull his effort across Leutwiler's goal.

The hostile environment continued from the first 45 and resembled that of a war zone rather than a football match.

And it was referee Andy Haines' decision on 48 minutes that really left the Latics smarting. From a Riley corner the man in the middle pointed to the penalty spot - with most in bemusement.

Charles Dunne had his hands on Toney and it was enough for the official to hand Salop a chance to take the lead.

The on-loan Newcastle forward picked himself up and buried his penalty centrally as Ripley dived to his right.

The atmosphere was toxic with Haines the centre-point of Oldham jeers, Toney escaped punishment after jumping clear of Latics challenge, while the two skippers squared up, El-Abd - very much the crowds' villain - and Clarke going head-to-head.

Mellon took advantage of taking the lead to shuffle his pack, Salop changed to a more orthodox 4-4-2, with Grimmer slotting in at right-back and Riley moving ahead of him on the right wing.

Just after Andy Mangan arrived on for debutant Ebanks-Blake, Town's formation change was rewarded as they grabbed a third.

62 minutes were on the clock as Dodds managed to create some space in the hole and teed a superbly weighted ball out to the wing where the bursting Riley hammered home a first-time finish from 20-yards to sent the Salop fans behind the goal into delirium.

With 21 minutes remaining the hosts' plight to get back into the clash was made that bit tougher as Fane, who had joined the Boundary Park outfit from Kidderminster Harriers in the summer, was shown a second booking for catching Gary Deegan.

Shortly after Ladapo hunted for a route back into it and his powerful strike from the angle was beaten away well by Leutwiler.

Salop threatened a fourth as Brown slipped in Toney on the left side of the Oldham box but his strike was straight at Ripley.

Mellon's side were rampant and moments later Grimmer was played in on goal by Dodds but was just unable to lift his finish over the oncoming Ripley.

Ladapo threatened again with 10 minutes remaining, he maneuvered space in the Town box but a close-range finish was agonizingly deflected wide for a corner.

Two minutes later the deficit was halved as Oldham pressure told. A right-sided corner was not properly cleared and it fell to Erwin who thumped in a low finish from 12 yards.

The Latics, buoyed on by their ferocious crowd went in search of a dramatic leveler but Salop succeeded in dealing with their high ball.

Despite seven minutes of time added on, Town's defence stood strong and resisted.