Shropshire Star

Kane Smith features for Shrewsbury Town

Shrewsbury Town handed game time to Hitchin Town youngster Kane Smith as they drew 2-2 in their friendly with Wolves.

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The 20-year-old highly-rated attacking right-back has been on trial at Town for the last two weeks.

He was given his chance to impress in the behind-closed-doors friendly at Wolves' Compton training ground on Saturday.

With Shrewsbury 2-0 down at the interval, Smith played in the second half as Wolves played a different, younger side after the break, and Town went on to 'win' the second period 2-0.

The Hitchin youngster spent time on trial at Crystal Palace and West Brom last season, playing in two development games for the Eagles and a week at the Baggies.

Sunderland, Sheffield Wednesday, Charlton and Bristol City also made enquiries, while Ipswich, Brighton and Reading also kept tabs on the defender last season.

It came during the Canaries' Evo-Stik Southern League Premier Division campaign, which saw them finish third, losing in the play-off semi-final to Hungerford.

Smith, who is under contract so would command a fee, has made 69 appearances for Hitchin, netting six goals after joining them from Biggleswade Town in December 2014.

Initially signed as a midfielder, Smith made the right-back position his own but played as a winger in the play-off semi-final, when he set up the opening goal for Brett Donnelly in a 3-2 defeat.

Town's only signed right-back is latest capture Joe Riley, who they snapped up recently from Bury for an undisclosed fee. Riley was one of seven summer signings who started Saturday's game.

The former Bolton defender joined Olly Lancashire, Ryan McGivern, Gary Deegan, Louis Dodds, Jim O'Brien and AJ Leitch-Smith alongside Jayson Leutwiler, Junior Brown.

Ian Black and Shaun Whalley also featured in a 4-2-3-1 formation which saw Whalley and O'Brien play wide.

But it was Wolves who led after James Henry twice beat Leutwiler, who was linked with a move to the Molineux club earlier this summer.

Town made seven changes at the break with Callum Burton, Mat Sadler, Richie Wellens, Abu Ogogo, Antoni Sarcevic, Tyrone Barnett and Andy Mangan coming on.

Dominic Smith, Ethan Jones and Callum Grogan got their chances later on. Mangan and Barnett reduced the arrears to level the scores.

Micky Mellon's side now turn their attentions to their next friendly, at home to Cardiff City on Saturday (3pm).

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