There was a standing joke amongst the players last season that the team coach driver had a traffic finder rather than satellite navigation system and to our frustration the traffic finder was in full working order! Having left Blackpool at just after half one, Pool pitched up at their Telford based hotel for a pre-match meal some four hours later, such was the traffic many Pool fans gave up and headed back to the Fylde for an evening in the beer garden.

Simon Grayson may well have wished that the Pool team coach had not bothered, with Gary Taylor-Fletcher, Claus Jorgensen, Stephen Crainey, Marlon Broomes, Ian Evatt and Matt Kay missing out through injury the last thing the Pool boss needed was for Shaun Barker and Steven Kabba to go down in the warm up. Grayson must have thought he had run over a black cat on the quarter hour when Stephen McPhee limped out of the action after a couple of heavy challenges that left the Pool front man unable to continue. On a more positive note, Pool were able to hand Adam Hammill his first start and welcome Joe Martin and Danny Coid back from injury. Interestingly, the skippers' armband went to Jermaine Wright

The hosts who are housed in an impressive all-seater stadium contained several familiar faces, managed by "Agent Simmo" the Shrews named former Pool starts Michael Jackson and Grant Holt in their starting line up and Richard "Wolf man" Walker on the bench.

After an entertaining opening that saw both sides enjoy a couple of half chances, the hosts could and perhaps should have taken the lead when Grant Holt squandered a great chance on 18 minutes, the former Forest man found himself through on goal following a neat passing move that unlocked the makeshift Pool back four, but the striker was denied by a brave block from Matt Gilks.

Adam Hammill who had enjoyed a lively debut twice fired over before pulling a great ball back to Stuart Green on the half hour, but Green could only direct his finish just over.

Half Time Shrewsbury 0 Blackpool 0

Neither side made changes at the break but it was Paul Simpson's side that broke the deadlock, Shrewsbury countered at after Pool had wasted a free kick in a good, position, former Carlisle man Paul Murray released Marc Tierney down the left and his cross was glanced home by DAVID HIBBERT.

The goal prompted a reaction from The Seasiders, Adam Hammill burst forward at pace and found Michael D'Agostino, but the Canadian hesitated too long and saw his strike blocked by the Shrews defence. Stuart Green blazed over

Keith Southern was given half an hour when he replaced John Halls, the change saw Jermaine Wright move to right back, Southern was soon in the thick of the action with his robust approach proving to be a tad unpopular with the Shrewsbury faithful.

The hosts doubled their lead on 75 minutes when BEN DAVIES crashed home from the edge of the area after Pool only half cleared a teasing cross from the Shrewsbury right.

Keith Southern saw a rasping shot blocked by the backside of the referee but clear cut chances for the Seasiders were very few and far between.

With ten minutes remaining first year professional Dominic Merella replaced Michael D'Agostino, five minutes later Ross Lloyd replaced Danny Coid.

Former Pool skipper Michael Jackson almost rounded off an exemplary performance when headed wide from a right wing corner.

Pool's lack of luck was emphasised late on when with the keeper beaten Pool rattled the cross bar as Burgess looked to pounce on the rebound Garner recovered well and showed great agility to flick away.

Simon Grayson will say results in pre-season are not important and he will have been happy to have had Danny Coid and Joe Martin back in action, but with the season just weeks away Simon Grayson will be concerned at the ever increasing injury list at Bloomfield Road.

Full Time Shrewsbury 2 Blackpool 0

Pool: Gilks, Halls (Southern 60), Baptiste, Martin, Coid (Lloyd 78), Hammill, Fox, Wright, Green, McPhee (D'Agostino 15 Merrella 75), Burgess Sub Not Used: Rachubka

Attendance: 1427 (105 Pool) .