Shrewsbury hat-trick hero Ryan Bowman: I was desperate for Dan Udoh to score

Town frontman Bowman grabbed the headlines with a perfect treble consisting of headed, left foot and right foot efforts as his remarkable comeback from a terrifying heart scare two weeks ago continues.

But the 29-year-old was ably assisted by a stunning individual display from partner Udoh, who was almost unplayable on an afternoon the visiting U's defence could not deal with him.

Bowman took a signed match ball home but Udoh was singled out for praise by boss Steve Cotterill in the Town dressing room as the former AFC Telford striker put in one of his most impressive performances in nearly 100 Shrewsbury games, with just a goal lacking from a superb all-round display.

Bowman heaped praise on Udoh in his first answer during post-match media duties. He said: "I'm absolutely delighted, it's always nice to score a goal as a striker but when you get three it's much better.

"I'm delighted for the team. I don't like to single anyone out but Dan Udoh up front today ran his socks off all game, ran his socks off, he was unlucky not to get a goal himself.

"The whole team, back four, the midfield three, even the subs that came on made an impact and it was a great team performance."

Udoh headed Town's first chance of the day over Cambridge's crossbar before Bowman towered in a sixth-minute lead.

From then on Udoh was at his scintillating best, showing an incredible touch and raw power and speed to prove his one of his side's key men on a day full of eye-catching performers.

Bowman's signed match ball, marking the third hat-trick of his career, featured messages from team-mates including from his fellow striker 'Well done partner, 3 of the best! Udoh'.

Bowman added: "He was brilliant today, I wish he scored a goal himself.

"I said that to him after I scored my second and third, 'it's your turn now' because he'd done everything but score a goal, but even in the end the manager singled him out at the end, saying what a great performance from Dan."

Cotterill's men were good value for their lead before Jack Iredale's 25-yard screamer levelled things for Cambridge after the break.

The U's had midfielder Adam May dismissed midway through the second half for a dangerous challenge on Josh Daniels and Town went for the jugular, as Bowman calmly slotted in twice and Luke Leahy rounded off the big home win.

"We know they've conceded the most amount of goals in the first 30 minutes of a game, whether that's coming up from League Two and respecting the opposition, we don't know," Bowman added.

"We needed to make sure we started bright and well and we got the early goal and could've got another."

The Town hat-trick hero, whose name rang around Montgomery Waters Meadow, said when asked about his recent health scare: "I'm fine, the doctors down at Ipswich and Shrewsbury were brilliant with me, looked after me all night long, done loads of tests to make sure I'm alright and I'm thankful for that.

"The cardiologists and doctors were happy to send me away once I'd got the shock and came around and carry on as normal.

"I've got a (heart) monitor device on me to carry on how I go, touch wood nothing does happen, but if any episodes happen I press the button and it gets looked at straight away, thankfully nothing's happened since the Ipswich game.

"It was worrying for my family, friends, even team-mates, because I couldn't go on my phone, my family and wife were ringing and messaging me 'what's up? What's going on? but I couldn't message them. But hopefully we're all sorted now.

"I had a lot of messages, friends, family, team-mates, ex-team-mates, people I haven't even played with sending messages on Twitter as well, the Ipswich assistant manager and fans, I appreciate every single one of them."