Shrewsbury Town 4 Charlton Athletic 3 - Report and pictures

[gallery] A pulsating night at Greenhous Meadow yielded seven goals and three crucial points in a night to remember for Shrewsbury Town, writes Lewis Cox.

Matt Harrold bagged the winner seven years ago as Town defeat Charlton 4-3 in a League Cup tie, this time Louis Dodds secured the same scoreline for Paul Hurst's side.

Dodds bagged twice, while Shaun Whalley and Tyler Roberts marked stunning performances with picturebook strikes to deny the Addicks - who had once led and twice levelled on the night.

Hat-trick hero Ricky Holmes, who scored his fifth goal against Salop this season, was on the losing side despite his heroics in red. Hurst's charges secured their eighth home win in 11 under Hurst to climb to 16th- five points clear of the drop zone.

Analysis

Roberts banished questions of his fitness after missing MK Dons with a hamstring niggle by returning to the line-up in place of Freddie Ladapo, while Stephen Humphrys was rewarded for Saturday's impact by starting in attack.

Louis Dodds started for the first time since January's victory over Bradford in place of Alex Rodman.

Charlton had Salop caught under the Meadow lights as the night began at an extremely high tempo. Jayson Leutwiler kept Town level some 11 seconds in, sticking a foot out to deny Lee Novak who had ghosted in.

The shot-stopper, this week called up for a second time by Switzerland, then got down well to deny Novak at an angle before a sprawling save kept out Jordan Botaka's curler.

Just over 10 minutes had passed and Town, who had found their feet with their newly-assembled attacking trio, made the visitors pay for passing up a number of early chances.

Roberts gave a lovely one-two with Humphrys before having the presence of mind to dink a cross to Dodds at the far post. The No.10 took it on his chest before picking the bottom corner out to break the deadlock.

The conditions were freezing but the action was electric. Leutwiler palmed away a bullet Josh Magennis header as the Addicks responded.

Dodds then drew a decent stop from Rudd as Roberts superbly sent him away, before Gary Deegan lashed goalbound strike was blocked.

Both sides look dangerous and classy going forward and despite Leutwiler's early heroics, Holmes buried a fine equaliser on 24 minutes.

It was the midfielder's third goal against Town this season and it was a pearler. On the run, he buried a piledriver from 30 yards that whistled into the top corner.

A brief tranquil spell was ended as Ryan Yates shot over from outside the area following Whalley's centre.

Humphrys then passed up a huge opening. A purposeful burst from Jack Grimmer ended with his cross hung up to the forward, who climbed well but headed back across goal, sending it wide of the post.

Yates had another go, collecting another ball on the edge of the box, beating a couple of challenges but could only shoot wide at the near post.

It was Shrews' turn to pass up chances and be made to pay. A minute before the break, a Mat Sadler handball, where he collected a booking, meant the deadly Holmes stepped up 25 yards out to curl a lovely free-kick high beyond Leutwiler.

Junior Brown was on-hand to bail Town out early in the second period, well positioned on the back post to clear away a goal-bound Holmes corner.

With Salop almost looked slumped, the game came alive.

Sadler's high ball sent Roberts through, an excellent piece of chest control sets the on-loan West Brom man up and he buried a fine finish across the keeper for his third goal in blue and amber.

That one came six minutes after the break, two minutes later Town led. They cleared a corner and broken three on two.

Humphrys led it, with Roberts one side and Whalley the other, he selected the latter. Whalley resisted a first-time effort, cut inside and found the top corner - sending the south stand into raptures.

The same stand wanted another as Toto Nsiala's header looked to be taken behind his line by Rudd, who then saved low from Roberts and tipped over a 30 yard blockbuster from Whalley.

But the Holmes show hadn't finished. Hurst will be particularly disheartened with this one, as a left-sided throw travels across the box for the pony-tailed star to lash into the bottom corner in front of the travelling fans with 20 minutes remaining.

A stunning night had further twists and turns as Salop led for a third time five minutes later.

The supreme Whalley again the architect. A stunning run through five hacked challenges then fed Dodds, who had a shot saved before tucking in the rebound for his second and ninth of the season to cap a miraculous night.