Unwavering Wanderers dug deep and delivered a second-half double strike to extend their winning run and move to within goal difference of League One's top two, writes Pete Oliver.
Ian Evatt’s men had to show their full range of qualities to make it five successive victories and eight wins from the last nine games in all competitions.
Shrewsbury made it a major examination as they looked to protect their own decent record at the Croud Stadium.
But Wanderers answered every question thrown at them as they met the physical challenge and then plundered the points through midfield men Paris Maghoma and Aaron Morley.
Maghoma continued his goal-scoring burst with the all-important opener after 65 minutes and then Morley’s clinical strike in stoppage time made sure Wanderers would get over the line to keep looking up as one of the form teams of the division.
Having negotiated their way through with a handful of changes in the FA Cup last weekend, Wanderers reverted towards the side that had won at Charlton in their last league encounter.
The return of Maghoma in place of Morley was the only alteration to the starting line-up from The Valley where the Whites had made it three away league wins in a row.
With Shrewsbury unbeaten in their last five home games in all competitions that fruitful run was likely to be tested and Wanderers had to ride out some early pressure.
The Shrews have found goals hard to come by, though, and with Ricardo Almeida Santos blocking their best chance for Tom Bayliss, Nathan Baxter had no serious saves to make in a goalless first half.
Marko Marosi wasn’t over-employed at the other end either but the best opening before the break did come Wanderers’ way as George Thomason picked out Victor Adeboyejo for an effort he fired over the top as the Whites threatened to make one of a number of potential openings count.
With just four goals conceded on their own patch Shrewsbury had been a tough nut to crack and Wanderers had to work hard for a sight of goal on a night when graft as much as craft was required.
And their endeavours paid off 20 minutes into the second half when Maghoma broke the deadlock.
Wanderers - with Josh Sheehan increasingly pulling the strings - were beginning to build the pressure and Maghoma made it count with his third goal in four games.
As at Wycombe a fortnight ago, the midfielder’s strike from outside the penalty area proved too slippery for the goalkeeper to handle as this time Marko Marosi couldn’t keep the ball out as the Whites went 1-0 up.
It could have been two shortly afterwards as a sublime pass from George Thomason released Dion Charles for a chance he poked just wide.
The breathing space would have been welcome and substitute Dan Nlundulu almost provided it as he met a Josh Dacres-Cogley cross with a near-post flick which was somehow kept out by a combination of the woodwork and replacement keeper Harry Burgoyne.
But Wanderers made sure they wouldn’t hand Shrewsbury a route back into the game with a magnificent defensive display.
The home side threw increasing numbers of men forward but the Whites – with Will Forrester superbly stepping into the breach alongside the unflappable Santos and Eoin Toal following an injury to Gethin Jones – stood firm to complete a third successive clean sheet.
And deep into nine minutes of injury time they made the points safe with arguably the best bit of football of the night.
Jon Dadi Bodvarsson and Nlundulu combined perfectly to set up fellow substitute Aaron Morley, whose pin-point low strike from just inside the box guaranteed another big win in front of the delighted travelling fans.
Wanderers: Baxter; Jones (Forrester 49), Almeida Santos, Toal; Sheehan; Dacres-Cogley, Thomason, Maghoma (Morley 86), Williams; Charles (Nlundulu 79), Adeboyejo (Bodvarsson 79). Substitutes: Iredale, Mendes Gomes, Jerome.
Booked: None
Shrewsbury Town: Marosi (Burgoyne 75); Flanagan, Dunkley, Anderson; Winchester, Kenneh (Mata 71), Perry, Sraha; Bayliss (Pierre, 88), Udoh, Shipley (Sobowale 71). Substitutes: Thorpe, Benning, Bennett.
Booked: None
Attendance: 5,901 (away 1,309)
Referee: Tom Reeves