Jordan Archer marked his Port Vale debut by coming off the bench to score the match winning goal as the Valiants picked up a 2-1 win to kick-start their 2019/20 Leasing.com Trophy campaign.
The first 15 minutes of the game were back and forth, with neither side able to carve out a clear chance, with Ryan Lloyd having the best opportunities with a long-range effort that was blocked and a header that went over the bar.
The following 10 minutes saw more of the same, and both teams took advantage of the damp surface to put in some crunching tackles, with James Gibbons putting in some great sliding challenges.
With 27 minutes on the clock, Shrewsbury took the lead, Ryan Barnett, who had been causing problems, got down the right and sent a low ball into the box.
It was missed by everyone before reaching Scott Golbourne on the far side of the box where he drilled the ball low back across goal before it took a deflection off the bar before hitting Kieran Kennedy and crossing the line.
The Vale nearly responded straight away though, with Cristian Montano making a good run down the wing before sending the ball into the box where it was met by David Amoo but he was denied by the post.
The remainder of the half saw both teams struggle to break down the others defence, as the Valiants searched for an equaliser.
Vale started the second period well, Gibbons had a free-kick from 25-yards out saved and Tom Pope sent a dangerous ball into the box which was just out the reach of Amoo.
In the 58th minute Captain Tom Pope was replaced by Jordan Archer, who came on to make his Port Vale debut.
Minutes later David Amoo raced into the box and was caught between two defenders, he was brought down and the Vale were awarded a penalty.
After being fouled, Amoo was the man to step up at the spot and he fired the ball into the back of the net, sending Joe Murphy the wrong way, to bring Vale level in the 63rd minute.
Jordan Archer nearly made an instant impact from the bench as he stole the ball off of Donald Love and drove into the box where he pulled the ball across the face of goal but it was cleared for a corner.
Soon after Archer did make an impact, and a big one at that, as he found the back of the net and sent Vale into the lead.
Gibbons showed his attacking skills, breaking into the box where he sent a dangerous ball into the box that Archer was the first to react to, rifling the ball into the top-right corner.
Town nearly responded in quick fashion, when their corner was met by a powerful header towards goal that was denied by Gibbons who cleared from the line.
Port Vale: Brown, Gibbons, Smith, Kennedy, Crookes, Evans, Taylor (64’ Cullen), Lloyd , Amoo (70’ Worrall), Montano, Pope (58’ Archer).
Unused Subs: Maddison, Joyce, Legge, Burgess.
Shrewsbury Town: Murphy Walker, Ebanks-Landell, Love (83’ Morison), Golbourne, Barnett, Goss, Laurent, Thompson (57’ McCormick), Whalley, Udoh.
Unused Subs: O’Leary, Edwards, Rowland, Taylor, Ward.