Notts County 3 Shrewsbury Town 2 - Match analysis

But if Jermaine Grandison provided the champagne moment of an exhilarating afternoon, then the decisive act was delivered by Lee Hughes.

Town are certainly not the first side – and won't be the last – to suffer at the hands of the controversial veteran marksman.

Hughes has made a career from displaying the type of predatory instincts which ensured Notts County snaffled victory with just three minutes remaining of an encounter which ebbed and flowed throughout.

But that didn't lessen the feeling of frustration at the full-time whistle as Shrewsbury were left still chasing their first victory at Meadow Lane since 1996.

Town have now played five games in League One, all against teams lying in the top eight of the embryonic table, and have more than held their own in all of them.

From that perspective, Saturday's clash was no different with Town growing into game after a shaky opening 20 minutes when they were pegged back by an impressive County side.

But if it had previously been missed opportunities which meant early season promise failed to earn deserved rewards in terms of points, uncharacteristic individual errors proved costly at Meadow Lane.

Shrewsbury's overall defensive display was to be admired. On the day that Reuben Hazell retained his place ahead of the returning Michael Hector, the visitors stood firm during periods of pressure applied by a County side rightly dubbed by Graham Turner as the best team Shrewsbury have faced to date.

But each goal they conceded in a swashbuckling second half could be traced back to uncharacteristic mistakes – from the rare sight of Matt Richards being caught in possession, to a mis-directed header from Mark Wright to the otherwise excellent Hazell just missing an interception at the start of a powerful run from home frontman Yoann Arquin who set up Lee Hughes for the winner.

The bulk of that drama arrived in a breathtaking four goal barrage in seven whirlwind minutes.

Francois Zoko got the ball rolling for the hosts on 57, slotting home a Jeff Hughes cross after Richards had been caught in possession by Arquin.

But atonement was immediate for the Town captain who held his nerve to slot home a penalty two minutes later following Dean Leacock's tug on the shirt of Marvin Morgan.

Enter stage right Grandison who collected the ball on the halfway line in his right back position before producing a run as electrifying as it was mazy through the County defence, leaving four players in his wake before a composed left foot finish from the edge of the box.

Town's goal of the season competition may have been settled there and then but crucailly the joy was short-lived, Notts County themselves finding a swift riposte when Jeff Hughes nodded home after a mis-cued attempted headed clearance from Wright fell invitingly for the home side.

That action-packed passage of play followed an intriguing first half which improved as it progressed for Shrewsbury.

A slick County opening put the visitors on the back foot, with Hazell producing two immaculate blocks on goalbound shots and Chris Weale a one-handed save to keep out a long range effort from Andre Boucaud.

Morgan fired an eight-yard volley just wide from a Wright free-kick as Town gained a foothold, while a well struck 20 yard effort from Terry Gornell was narrowly off target before the frontman was replaced by Asa Hall at the interval in a tactical reshuffle which saw Shrewsbury revert to 4-4-1-1.

Both sides still harboured hopes of victory as the clock ticked down and it was from the breakdown of a Shrewsbury attack that County launched the decisive raid.

With the visitors stretched, Boucaud beat Hazell to the touch and raced clear down the left before crossing for Lee Hughes to produce a neat turn and finish.

It was a deflating blow and one which ensured Grandison's moment of magic somehow went unrewarded.

James Garrison