Steve Cotterill saluted ex-Coventry pair Tom Bayliss and Jordan Shipley as Shrewsbury made it three home wins on the spin with a 2-1 win over 10-man MK Dons.

The former Sky Blues and car share pals both struck in a first half the home side dominated.

But what promised to be a comfortable three points did not quite go to plan as Zak Jules headed the Dons back into contention after the break.

Even Dawson Devoy’s red card for a tackle on Shipley five minutes later did not deter the visitors, who finished strongly but could not salvage a draw.

“That’s good for them, they can bore each other in the car on the way home,” smiled Cotterill of his goal heroes as Town climbed to ninth. “But I am sure it will be a happy car.

“I am happy with the result, but I spoke to the boys about a couple of things where we could have done better.

“The game is never finished until you have finished learning from it. And playing against 10 men is difficult no matter who you play.

“We could have been three or four up in the first half and in total command. But 2-0 is a tricky scoreline against any team.”

The loss of defender Matt Pennington to a groin problem before half-time left the Shrews vulnerable at set pieces, to Cotterill’s concern.

“Every time they got a corner I was a bit nervous because they have some big boys who crash in there,” he said. “I hoped we would get away it and I have to be thankful it only bit us once.”

On Town’s lofty position after 12 games, boss Cotterill added: “We probably could have been higher but you shouldn’t look back, only forward.

“And ninth is a lot better than being 18th.”

It is a far better position than third bottom, where MK Dons find themselves.

“We weren’t good enough defensively first half,” said manager Liam Manning.

“We didn’t show enough aggression to deal with their directness, desire to go and attack the ball or disciplined enough to defend the set pieces.

“We carried a threat going forward and won a lot of corners in the first half and got into some dangerous areas. It is the moments at the other end where we are fragile and concede too easily.

“What this club has to be built on, and any successful team in any division, is being hard to beat and to show the right behaviours, which we didn’t have.”

Manning had no complaints about Devoy’s red card, saying: “I haven’t seen it back but I heard it was. Despite that we still took the game to them, which is how we should have started on the front foot and positively.”