CRAIG Beattie staked his claim for a place in Tony Mowbray's starting XI for Saturday's Championship trip to Leicester (ko 2.15pm) by scoring the opener in Albion reserves' 2-0 win over Shrewsbury.

The Scotland international fired Craig Shakespeare's men ahead in the 20^th minute and got 90 minutes under his belt.

The Baggies doubled their lead in the 59^th minute thanks to young gun Josh Knight's first Pontin's Holidays League Division One (Central) strike.

But the hosts needed Luke Daniels at his best at the other end to keep out a Shrews attack featuring on-loan Hawthorns hitman Stuart Nicholson.

Ex-Baggie Chris Humphrey broke down the right in the second minute and crossed into the box for Daniel Evans, whose flick header sailed wide of the far post.

Two minutes later the hosts responded when David Worrall jinked his way into the penalty area and teed up Knight, only for the young Baggies striker to fire over from six yards.

Worrall proved to be the play-maker again in the 20^th minute when he found Beattie on the edge of the area.

The Scotland international played a neat one-two with Knight before rounding Ryan Esson and sliding the ball home to open the scoring.

Nicholson was brought down on the edge of the box in the 36^th minute to earn Shrewsbury a free-kick.

Steve Leslie stepped up to drive in a low shot, which Daniels did well to dive to his right and keep out.

Four minutes from the break Ricky Nicholls found Richard Chaplow and the former Burnley midfielder cut inside his man to present Jack Compton with a chance, which he blazed over from eight yards.

A minute later Tininho's left-wing cross evaded everyone except James Hurst at the far post but the England Under-16 international struck his shot just past the far post.

Shakespeare made changes at half-time, with Compton moving to left-back and Tininho and Ricky Nicholls going off.

The Baggies coach also changed to a 4-3-3 formation, bringing Michael Nardiello on as a third striker and Sebastien Lake-Gaskin in midfield.

The impressive Knight crossed a ball from the right in the 51^st minute only for Worrall to send his close-range header wide of the left-hand post.

At the other end Nicholson squared for first-half substitute Jack Coulston, who slid into scoop his effort over the bar.

In the 59^th minute Knight's hard work was rewarded when a swift Albion break culminated in Chaplow finding the youngster and he burst past two Town defenders to notch from ten yards.

Humphrey's mishit cross deflected onto the crossbar and over eight minutes later as the visitors refused to give up.

The Baggies then came close to adding a third when Hurst found Lake-Gaskin on the right and he cut inside before squaring for Beattie.

The former Celtic hotshot eased past his marker but Esson did well to block his eight-yard shot with his chest.

Eight minutes from time Nardiello fired into the side-netting after getting on the end of a raking crossfield ball from Hurst.

Coulston failed to take advantage of slack marking by the hosts in the 86^th minute when he headed Humprey's corner straight at Daniels from close-range.

Lake-Gaskin then volleyed his cross-shot against the right-hand post and Nardiello pounced on the rebound but could only find the side-netting again.

Daniels ensured Albion finished the game with a clean-sheet when he denied Tom Moss with a superb left-handed save after the Shrews midfielder had broken through one-on-one in injury time.

ALBION (4-4-2): Daniels, Hurst, Manchester, Martis, Tininho (Lake-Gaskin HT); Nicholls (Nardiello HT), Worrall, Chaplow, Compton; Beattie, Knight (Saied 80). Subs not used: S Morrison, Pike.

SHREWSBURY (4-4-2): Esson, Hooman, Hall, Kempson, Ashton; Humphrey, Jones, Moss, Leslie; Evans (Coulston 36), Nicholson. Subs not used: Pyle, Singh, Davey, Brown.

GOALS: ALBION - Beattie (20), Knight (59).

REFEREE: A Hendley.

ATTENDANCE: 151.

ALBION STARMAN: Josh Knight. 

Subscribers to our SMS breaking news service got this story first. To sign up, simply text CLUB WBA NEWS to 88442 (texts cost 25p each) or click here.