Shrewsbury 0 Barnsley 3 - Report and pictures

Awful defending allowed ex-Town loan striker Sam Winnall to score twice in six minutes on 15 and 21.

Then Alfie Mawson (72) sealed a thoroughly deserved win for the Tykes to make it 10 goals against in the last two league games.

Andy Mangan saw a penalty saved two minutes before the break and Nat Knight-Percival had a header saved soon after.

But new signings Richie Wellens, James Wallace and Kyle Vassell, who came on at half-time, failed to inspire a comeback and Lee Johnson's side could have won by a bigger margin.

Despite six new signings - three of whom were available for the first time today - there was only one change for Town as boss Micky Mellon kept faith with his FA Cup heroes who beat Cardiff 1-0 last Sunday.

Junior Brown returned for Mat Sadler at left wing back after a one-match ban following his sending off in the 7-1 defeat at Chesterfield. Sadler failed to make the 18.

Shrewsbury Town (3-5-2): Halstead; Gerrard, Whitbread, Knight-Percival; Grimmer, Black (Wellens HT), Clark (Wallace HT), Cole, Brown; Vernon (Vassell HT), Mangan.

Subs not used: Grandison, Whalley, Akpa Akpro, Leutwiler (gk).

Barnsley (4-5-1): Davies; Bree (Roberts 90+1), Long, Mawson, A White; Isgrove (Fletcher 73), Brownhill, Watkins (Williams 83), Hourihane, Hammill; Winnall.

Subs not used: Abbott, Williams, H White, Townsend (gk).

Referee: Philip Gibbs.

New signings Wellens and Vassell - who were cup-tied last week - along with Wallace all had to be content with places on the bench.

Their places came at the expense of the Dominic Smith, James Caton and the departed Sam Patterson.

It was a bright, open start from both sides but Barnsley shaded it and soon showed their attacking threat.

Anthony Gerrard had to make a vital and perfectly-timed stretching challenge to prevent Marley Watkins having a one-on-one in the fourth minute.

There was another scare for Town in the 11th minute as Junior Brown was forced to nod off the line from Winnall's planted header from the first corner.

Salop's first real attack saw Grimmer get away from Aiden White but he could only crash a wild, angled shot high over the bar.

Barnsley took the lead after a quarter of an hour with a goal of stunning simplicity.

Ex-Town loanee Winnall latched onto a long ball down the middle from keeper Adam Davies and held off Nat Knight-Percival before burying a left-foot shot past Mark Halstead.

Town then created a decent move as Brown whipped in a cross, and when Vernon couldn't get there, it reached Ian Black, whose shot was blocked by Conor Hourihane.

But, within seconds, it was 2-0 when Winnall grabbed his second in almost identical fashion to his first.

Another long ball pumped down the middle saw the former Wolves reserve beat Zak Whitbread and Knight-Percival before driving low across Halstead.

Hourihane was the first player to be booked in the 25th minute after leaving Black in a heap in the Town half.

A minute later the ball was in the Town net again, this time from Watkins, but it was ruled out for a fractional offside.

It was a super move too as right back James Bree played a one-two with Winnall, then Watkins finished first time.

On 29 minutes, Town's defence was at sixes and sevens again as Adam Hammill skipped away but his attempted chip in the box drifted well over.

The former Wolves winger was much closer on 37, however, when his cross took a big deflection off Grimmer and hit the bar for a corner.

There was another chance for Barnsley two minutes later as Watkins glanced on Hammill's corner and Grimmer stuck out a leg to prevent it closing in on goal.

But Salop were handed a lifeline two minutes from the break when James Bree held off Andy Mangan challenging for Black's pass for a penalty.

Mangan took the spot kick himself but it was saved as Davies guessed correctly and saved low to his right.

Seconds after, Black was booked following a lengthy lecture after flooring Josh Brownhill for his eighth yellow card plus one red in 18 games for Town.

Town forced their first serious save and went close to a reply in the third minute of time added on.

Knight-Percival's free header was foiled by a superb reflex save by Davies, who tips over after Black's free kick.

That was the last we saw of Black, and Jordan Clark and Scott Vernon as they made way at the break for new boys Wellens, Wallace and Vassell.

But, after Wellens and Wallace led a brief spell at the start of the half, Barnsley controlled the rest of the game.

Brown joined the departed Black in the book on 50 after clipping the heels of Watkins then Zak Whitbread was cautioned for bringing down Lloyd Isgrove.

A minute after the hour, there was a rare shot from Town as Junior Brown's cross was worked to Grimmer via Wallace but the wing back's shot was held at the second attempt by Davies at the near post.

Winnall went for his hat-trick on 69 when he unleashed a fierce, angled drive on the left that cannoned off the sidenetting, with some fans celebrating a goal.

Wellens became the latest Town player to be booked after the referee let play go on then Town cleared a corner.

It seemed the game was only going one way as Hammill's whipped-in free kick was tipped away by Halstead.

And it was little surprise when the Tykes scored a third goal on 72, Mawson tapped into the roof of the net after Halstead dropped a header from a corner.

Town replied with a run and shot from Brown that flew inches over.

But Barnsley stormed back and Hammill's lob was tipped over by Halstead after finding Winnall, then getting the ball back when the cross was blocked.

It was a sorry day for Town, who have lost to another relegation rival as they failed to follow up their excellent FA Cup win at Cardiff.