Salop ended their nine-game winless run as teenager Tom Bloxham caught the eye at the Pirelli Stadium.
Goals from Bloxham and Matthew Pennington either side of half-time earned Shrewsbury just their second win on the road of the season as they saw off an under-par Burton side and left the 900 travelling fans on a joyous journey home.
Steve Cotterill would have to shake up his side following Tuesday’s game against Portsmouth where midfielder Josh Vela got sent off and David Davis was ruled out following his Ankle injury which he picked up early in the game. In came Tyrese Fornah and Ryan Bowman to replace these two with the latter joining Bloxham and Daniel Udoh in a front three.
Burton meanwhile would make just the one change with Christian Saydee returning to the starting 11 and there was a place on the bench for new signing Adlene Guedioura.
Cotterill spoke prior to the game about the physical presence of Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink’s side and straight away this was apparent, with long throws and set pieces bombarding Shrewsbury’s penalty area in the early minutes of the game.
On a poor surface, it was hard to keep possession with both sides launching long balls to their strikers. But the centre backs were dominating the air ways creating a scrappy opening to the game which lacked chances.
The first chance finally arrived as Salop’s George Nurse fed top scorer: Udoh who cut inside onto his weaker right foot before firing wide of the target.
Shrewsbury began to build pressure at the Pirelli and sent the travelling support into raptures as Elliot Bennett’s drilled delivery found Bloxham, who guided it perfectly past keeper Ben Garratt into the corner of the net.
It was the 18-year-olds second league goal of the season and his fifth in all competitions in what has been a breakthrough year for the boy from Leicester.
Cotterill’s men continued to threaten up to the break as Ethan Ebanks Landell’s dangerous header was cleared away and Bowman had a goal disallowed after latching on to a flicked header from Bloxham.
But it was Burton who came closest as Connor Shaughnessy's looping header caught out Salop goalkeeper Marko Marosi but thankfully for him it landed on the roof of the net.
The Brewers began the second half on top and created their first big chance of the game after good work down the left-hand side from Saydee, he pulled it back to Charlie Lakin whose stabbed effort would fall just wide of Marosi’s post.
Salop would then take back control of the game and were rewarded when a good strike from George Nurse from all of 25 yards, was spilled by Garratt into the path of Pennington who gladly tapped the ball home for his third goal of the season.
Hasselbaink quickly turned to his bench and brought on the two new signings in Oumar Niasse and Guedioura to affect the game.
But Shrewsbury continued to press, and Bowman came close to scoring his seventh of the season as Luke Leahy’s drilled cross was inches away from him connecting with it.
With the game virtually settled, Udoh almost added a third as he held off Shaughnessy before firing a left footed shot which whistled just over the bar.
Seven minutes added time would not deter the visitors as they held out comfortably for a vital three points that would lift them six clear of Morecambe in 21st place who could only draw 1-1 against Ipswich.
MOTM- Tom Bloxham After a solid performance Tuesday evening, the teenager once again provided the goods with an outstanding finish and brilliant work in linking the midfield and the attack. Certainly, a player to watch in the future.
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