Pre-season: Cheltenham 2 Shrewsbury Town 2 - Report and pictures

Whalley opened the scoring in the low-key affair in Gloucestershire before Tahvon Campbell goals either side of the break put the hosts up.

But star man Eisa, who created the opener, netted a sharp leveller inside the last 10 minutes as he attempted to catch the eye of manager Sam Ricketts.

Starts for Edwards and Golbourne came as a huge boost to boss Ricketts.

Both had spent the first part of pre-season stepping up their fitness on the way back from ankle and knee injuries sustained at the back end of last term.

Edwards, who wore the captain’s armband, managed 45 minutes and was busy in Town’s midfield, sending two efforts wide.

As expected, the Shrews boss named a totally changed team from the side that competed well against Aston Villa on Sunday.

Whalley, Luke Waterfall and Omar Beckles were the experienced first-teamers involved.

Summer signing from AFC Telford Daniel Udoh made his first start of the summer. Youngsters Ryan Barnett and James Rowland - also regulars over the summer - were in.

Under-18s defender Tom Davies started in a back three, while fellow academy central midfielder Will Lloyd was on the bench.

Cheltenham, who pushed a strong Leicester City side well at the weekend, named a strong team. It was Salop’s first visit to Whaddon Road since they won promotion from League Two in 2015, relegating their hosts.

The League Two hosts looked after the ball better in the opening stages but little was created in an uneventful start.

A mostly-empty stadium with a much-changed Shrews side did not help the slow tempo to the game and, after looking after the ball well, Cheltenham were first to threaten through Alex Addai’s curled strike from distance which was parried behind by Cameron Gregory.

Shrews found their feet and clicked through the gears. Eisa showed his directness with a couple of charging runs before Golbourne teed up Edwards to fire wide first-time from outside the box.

A spin and change of pace in midfield from Eisa helped create the visitors’ opener midway through the half. He invited Whalley forward on the left and Town’s No.7 cut into the box before curling an accurate finish into the far corner via the underside of the bar for Town’s first goal of pre-season.

Eisa almost provided a much-needed spark as his curling 25-yard strike after cutting in from the left looped over keeper Rhys Lovett but cracked the crossbar.

But Campbell prodded home from an uncleared corner for an equaliser two minutes before the break.

Youngster Kian Taylor came on for Edwards at the break. Cheltenham applied pressure at the start of the second half but Town’s defence held.

Michael Duff’s side edged ahead from the spot on the hour. Former West Brom youngster Campbell was tripped by Waterfall and picked himself up to convert the spot-kick high to Gregory’s right.

Waterfall tried to atone as he headed on to the roof of Cheltenham’s net before the lively Eisa sent a free-kick wide.

Town were struggling to create anything clear-cut but Eisa, the best player on the evening, brought his side level with a fine finish.

Taking down a ball from Udoh on the left side, he danced into the box and hammered a low finish into the far corner to give more food for thought for Ricketts.

Golbourne and Eisa lashed inches over late on as Town almost won it.

Teams

Cheltenham Town (3-5-2):

Lovett; Raglan, Tozer, Boyle; Long, Ince (Brennan, 60), Clements, Broom (Chamberlain, 73), Bowry; Campbell (Varney, 73), Addai

Subs not used: Flinders (gk), Horton.

Shrewsbury Town (3-5-2):

Gregory; Davies, Waterfall, Beckles; Barnett, Rowland (Lloyd, 89), Edwards (Taylor, 45), Eisa, Golbourne; Whalley, Udoh (Mwandwe, 87).

Subs not used: O’Leary (gk).

Referee: John Busby

Attendance: 841 (94 Town fans)