Junior Brown: I predicted my Shrewsbury special moment
Shrewsbury goal hero Junior Brown predicted his big moment as a second-half header sparked wild scenes at Greenhous Meadow to take Town to the brink of safety.
Brown brave dived in to meet Shaun Whalley's corner and net his fifth goal of the season 20 minutes after the break.
And Town never looked in real danger as they saw out the remaining half hour despite Southend pressure.
"I was thinking 'I'm going to score'," said Brown, who was awarded sponsors' man of the match.
"To be honest I'd said 'put me in the box and I'll go and get you a goal' - it might have been half-heartedly joking but it paid off today.
"I managed to get in the right place at the right time to get the goal. It's five now, not a bad return, it's big greedy but I'd have liked to have chipped in with a few more!
"I'll take that onto next season.
"It was an important goal and it's nice to get the three points which are vital but the job's not over yet.
"There's still a job to do and we have to take the performance into Oxford."
The result lifted Town up to 18th on 51 points - above both Bury and Gillingham.
Rivals Port Vale remain the only side within mathematical possibility of halting Shrews, but it would require a six point swing - including their game in hand at Walsall on Tuesday - and an 11 goal difference swing.
