Injury-hit Wanderers saw a potentially famous win evaporate late on against Shrewsbury Town.

Missing several players after a virus swept through the camp in midweek, the Whites looked on course to win a scrappy game thanks to two goals from Dion Charles, one from the penalty spot.

But two late corners gave the set piece specialists Shrewsbury a measure of revenge for their late winner at the Montgomery Waters Stadium in January, Christian Saydee and Chey Dunkley grabbing the goals to give Steve Cotterill’s side three points to take them into ninth place.

Wanderers were forced into five changes, as George Thomason and Jon Dadi Bodvarsson dropped out of the starting line-up through injury and several others were affected by a virus which has swept through the camp this week.

The 11 men who did take the field were undone after just 87 seconds as Christian Saydee and Jordan Shipley combined to send Rob Street into the penalty box, the Crystal Palace loanee finishing smartly for his first goal in Shrews colours.

It was déjà vu for the Whites, who have developed a frustrating habit of starting games slowly of late. But at least they corrected their course quickly, with Kieran Lee chipping a ball in for Gethin Jones in the right channel before his low cross was turned into the net by Charles.

The rest of the half was as ugly and desperate as the weather. Shrewsbury collected free kicks in the Bolton half and were a constant menace as they sent their three centre-half specialists forward.

Wanderers tried to use the creative talents of Josh Sheehan and Lee in midfield but never really found any rhythm.

Dapo Afolayan went close with one low left-footed effort after a clever turn on the edge of the penalty box but otherwise Bolton just had to chip away on a pitch which was becoming more difficult as the afternoon progressed.

Shrewsbury had a penalty shout turned down when Street went to ground under pressure from Sheehan – referee Craig Hicks eventually coming to the technical area to calm down home manager Steve Cotterill and his assistant, ex Whites striker Aaron Wilbraham.

At the start of the second half Wanderers suddenly started to click. Conor Bradley headed wide from Jack Iredale’s deep cross, and Afolayan forced Marosi into a smart save low to his right after a clever shot on the turn.

Sheehan might well have supplied a second on 63 minutes when he broke into the box, only for team-mate Charles to inadvertently block his shot.

Wanderers’ pressure finally told when Iredale’s excellent ball over the top for Afolayan had Shrewsbury’s defence scrambling, and Dunkley effort to clear sent the former West Ham man sprawling.

Charles drilled his penalty down the middle, the power just enough to beat Marosi. And the Northern Ireland might have grabbed a hat-trick moments later as he turned on to Afolayan’s pass but was barged by Tom Flanagan. This time referee Hicks waved play on.

Shrewsbury’s threat at set pieces had been much-discussed before the game and having dealt with them so well for most of the afternoon, Christian Saydee’s equaliser 11 minutes before the end came as a huge frustration.

Wanderers’ inability to clear Bayliss’s corner gave the Shrews man a chance to volley home from close range an equaliser their second half performance had hardly deserved to that point.

But it also gave them fresh hope and with two of the five added minutes played, another corner hung in the air, Trafford got crowded out, and Dunkley came over the top of everyone to head home from close range.

After the whistle there was more unpleasantness as Afolayan appeared to take issue with a Shrewsbury player and had to be dragged away by a number of team-mates and coaching staff.