Pictures and analysis of MK Dons 2 Shrewsbury 3

Forget the freak winner and even the claims of Milton Keynes Dons manager Karl Robinson that this was the luckiest 3-2 win he had ever seen.

Shrewsbury are proving their League One salvation lies away from the Greenhous Meadow.

Last night's triumph was yet more proof that freed of the pressures of performing in front of their own fans they are well capable of picking sides off with a more canny approach.

Add a first ever success at the Stadium mk to the scalps of Coventry, Preston and Tranmere and it seems Salop seem to derive inspiration in impressive settings.

Not that the Dons' style didn't play right into their hands. Graham Turner's side were happy to allow them to huff and puff in front of them without effect while waiting to deliver the sucker punch.

Twice Tom Eaves wriggled clear inside three minutes to provide Salop with a cracking start.

And yes, disappointingly, they allowed that to be whittled away by the same slack set-piece marking evident for Leyton Orient's opener last weekend. And yes, their first and third strikes were catastrophic mistakes by the Dons' centre-halves.

But if you can banish those hefty slices of fortune to the back of your mind, then this was a much-improved display after two lethargic outings. And more importantly it leaves Town two wins and a draw off the traditional 50-point safety marker.

Robinson's sour grapes were the sound of a manager convincing himself, and few else, that a play-off place was still in reach.

While in former Shrewsbury frontman Ryan Lowe – who registered his ninth and 10th goals of the campaign to draw MK back on terms – he has the ammunition for a late charge, some of his personnel at the back appear booby-trapped.

Eaves punished the Dons' over emphasis on playing out from the back on the expansive surface. Shaun Williams should have been looking for the concrete gaps in row Z of the yet-completed stadium, but tried to bring a high ball under control precariously on the edge of the box.

The Bolton youngster could hardly believe his luck as the ball bobbled into his path and he didn't waste time hammering a fine, low finish past Ian McLoughlin (16).

Then, cutting in from the right onto Marvin Morgan's diagonal pass, he found the bottom of the far corner with a blistering left-footed swerver (19). It was only the third time this season Town have commanded a two-goal lead.

So how frustrating it was they allowed it to be squandered with sloppy defending.

Dean Bowditch's corner was flicked on by Antony Kay and the ball ricocheted off Lowe into the bottom corner (27).

But MK continued to look ponderous at the back. Jon Taylor broke clear on the left and McLoughlin was fortunate not to scoop his tame parry into the path of Morgan.

Back in place of Chris Porter, Morgan's tireless running complemented Eaves' physical threat and Williams and Kay were never allowed to rest easily.

But their side crept back in command after playmaker Stephen Gleeson's introduction. The former Wolves midfielder forced a timely block from Yado Mambo after Izale McLeod volleyed into Chris Weale's arms.

And just when Shrewsbury needed to stay switched on minutes after the restart, Williams curled a free kick over to the far post where Lowe was left free to pick his spot across Weale with a firm header (47).

It was the signal for MK to turn the screw with young Chelsea prospect Patrick Bamford adding to the attacking impetus off the bench.

Gleeson skilfully despatched a volley from over his shoulder onto the roof of the net. And the white shirts began to weave patterns with their short-passing game.

But they were undone again by a comical defensive howler. This time Kay was left red-faced as he steered Matt Richards' lofted cross from way out on the right past his own keeper (68), with all the finesse of a man communicating by walkie talkie.

Eaves could have provided a welcome cushion four minutes later when he was freed on the right of the box, but drove across the face of goal.

There was the inevitable "Alamo" to be weathered, but Town drew their circle in well and, of course, had the excellent Weale to fall back on. The keeper's block with his legs, which kept out Bowditch's last-minute angled shot was particularly poignant.

The same player had thrashed a volley past him in the dying minutes of the earlier fixture to force a 2-2 draw.

Yet, typically, Weale bettered that deep into stoppage time when he preserved a potentially vital three points by keeping out substitute Alan Smith's header.

By Gwyn Griffiths