Town fell to defeat at home to Bolton Wanderers in the penultimate pre-season friendly.

A strong first half from the away side saw them go into the break with a three-goal lead.

Exceptional strikes from Thierry Gale, Daeshon Lawrence and Josh Dacres-Cogley made the difference.

Callum Stewart pulled one back with his fourth goal of pre-season.

An own goal and a strike from Max Conway put the visitors 5-1 up before first-year scholar Will Gray netted a consolation with the last kick of the game.

Team news:

Michael Appleton's latest recruit, goalkeeper Elyh Harrison, went straight into the squad after signing on a season-long loan earlier today.

He started on the bench as Toby Savin lined up behind Tom Anderson, Sam Stubbs and George Nurse.

Mal Benning and Jack Loughran sat on either side of a midfield three made up of Harrison Biggins, Alex Gilliead and Isaac England.

George Lloyd and Max Mata started the day as strike partners.

The visitors set up in a 4-2-3-1 with a recent goalkeeper signing of their own - Teddy Sharman-Lowe - in net.

In attack, Joel Randall, Szabolcs Schon and Gale supported Lawrence - a lone striker.

Report:

An even opening 20 minutes saw both sides deliver plenty of crosses into the opposing box without causing too much bother.

The best chance of the early stages fell to Lawrence for the visitors, but as Savin's save rocketed towards him, he couldn't adjust his body quickly enough to turn his effort goalward.

However, Bolton would break the deadlock with their next attack as Gale - who had run the show for the Whites - bent a stunning effort into the top corner from 25 yards.

They doubled their lead before the half-hour mark with another outstanding strike.

Lawrence made no mistake this time, finding the bottom corner from the edge of the box with a fierce strike.

Bolton looked in control now, and had two more chances to extend their lead.

First, Szabolcs Schon sprinted through on goal before chipping the ball wide of the mark.

Randall then danced through the Town defence and into the six-yard box. But he couldn't keep his composure and blazed the ball over the bar.

Shrewsbury's best chance of the half fell to Mata, who had looked good when in possession all half. He did well to turn his man before bending his strike narrowly past the far post.

Bolton then added a third immediately before the half-time whistle through Dacres-Cogley, who smashed the ball into the roof of the net from the penalty spot.

New signing Harrison - along with Toto Nsiala and Callum Stewart - entered the fray at half-time as straight swaps for Savin, Anderson and Mata.

And they had an instant impact as Stewart pulled one back just minutes into the second period.

Nurse played a short corner to Gilliead before receiving the ball back and delivering a deep cross.

Stewart found space and nodded home from close range.

Unfortunately for Town, Bolton's three-goal lead was restored within four minutes as an own goal wrong-footed Harrison.

The next moves saw Harrison called into action as he produced two outstanding saves in the space of a few minutes

Initially, he denied Gale from close range on the hour-mark, before flying through the air to claim Lawrence's bending effort, much to the excitement of the home crowd.

However, there was nothing he could do about Bolton's fifth and final goal as Conway rolled the ball into the bottom corner from the edge of the box.

There was to be one last bit of action as first-year scholar Will Gray struck a consolation goal with the last kick of the game.

Town will now look ahead to when they host Premier League Burnley in the final pre-season friendly.

Line-ups:

Salop XI: Savin (Harrison 46'), Benning (Perry 64'), Anderson (Nsiala 46'), Biggins (Clucas 70'), Lloyd (Marquis 52'), Gilliead (Gray 70'), Nurse (Cairns 64'), Mata (Stewart 46'), Stubbs (Morris 64'), England, Loughran (Hoole 64).

Unused subs: Falding, Lewis.

Bolton XI: Sharman-Lowe (GK), Sheehan, Gale, Dacres-Cogley, Toal, Forino, Schon, Simons, Conway, Randall, Lawrence

Bench: Broome (GK), Johnston, Mendes Gomes, Osei-Tutu, Morley, Cozier-Duberry, Sharples-Ahmed, Rice, Inwood, Abimbola, McAtee

Attendance: 1,674