HARTLEPOOL UNITED powered past Shrewsbury to record their second win of the season.

After losing at Cheltenham last week and selling Luke James to Peterborough, Pools needed a response – and how they got one.

From the first minute, they took the game to the previously unbeaten Shrews.

They could have been ahead by the time Charlie Wyke knocked them in front on five minutes.

The loan signing from Middlesbrough was picked out in the area by the lively Jack Compton an picked his spot to roll his finish into the corner.

Jon Franks laid the ball across the area for Ryan Brobbel, but he missed his kick eight yards from goal.

The Shrews changed to a 4-4-2 from a 3-5-2 set-up to try and stop Pools, but the chances kept coming.

Franks saw a shot charged down, while Wyke skirted around goalkeeper Jayson Leutwiler but was charged down.

It was 37 minutes before Scott Flinders was worried, a deep cross headed over by James Collins.

Compton was delivering a regular supply of quality crosses from the left side and Brobbel was close to turning one in at the far post.

Pools defending was strong and organised and they refused to concede or offer the Shrews a chance.

And they were rewarded on 80 minutes, when from a counter attack, Compton crossed and Bradley Walker, racing into the area, turned in from close range. 

 

HARTLEPOOL UNITED: Flinders; Parnaby (Richards 39), Harrison, Bates, Austin; Brobbel, Miller, Walker, Compton (Holden 90); Wyke, Franks. Subs: Dixon (gk), Collins, Harewood, Woods, Hawkins.

SHREWSBURY TOWN: Leutwiler; Goldson, Ellis, Knight-Percival; Gayle (Grandison 17), Wesolowski, Woods, Clark, Demetriou (Mangan 54); Collins, Vernon (Akpa-Akpro 54). Subs: Vincent, Lawrence, Griffith, Burton (gk).