Walsall 2 Shrewsbury 1

Ryan Jarvis bagged a stunner and missed a penalty as Walsall edged past Shrewsbury in the Johnstone's Paint Trophy at the Banks's Stadium.

The striker's 30-yard screamer and Richard Taundry's volley put the Saddlers in control, before Andy Butler's own goal handed the Shrews a lifeline two minutes after the break.

The League Two side piled on the pressure in the second half but Jarvis should have made it safe 20 minutes from time, slamming his spot-kick against the bar.

Goalkeeper David Grof, on his home bow, preserved the Saddlers' lead when a splendid double save from Tom Bradshaw late on to send Walsall through to the second round.

Grof kept his place following his debut in Saturday's 2-0 win at Bournemouth while Alex Nicholls replaced Will Grigg, on international duty with the Northern Ireland under-21 team.

Giant-killers Shrewsbury, who had already knocked out Derby and Swansea in the Carling Cup, started brighter and Shane Cansdell-Sherriff headed wide after 10 minutes.

But Jarvis opened the scoring on 17 minutes when, 30-yards out, he looped a superb half volley over helpless goalkeeper Chris Neal.

The striker should have doubled the lead three minutes later, but shot wide following Nicholls' knock-down.

The Saddlers continued to threaten and went 2-0 up on 35 minutes when Taundry smashed in a volley from the edge of the box, after the visitors failed to clear a corner.

Shrewsbury rallied and Grof blocked Cansdell-Sherriff's header soon after and Steve Leslie shot wide just before the break.

The Shrews pulled one back two minutes after the restart, when Joe Jacobson's cross clipped Butler and dropped in.

The visitors put the Saddlers under more pressure but failed to seriously test Grof and the hosts should have made it 3-1 on 69 minutes, when they were awarded a penalty.

Nicholls was bundled over by Jermaine Grandison but Jarvis, who scored from the spot in the 2-0 win at Bournemouth, smashed his shot against the underside of the bar.

Reprieved, Shrewsbury almost levelled 10 minutes from time but Grof twice denied Bradshaw at point blank range, as the Saddlers hung on.