By Gregg Davies @ Prostar Stadium

Hereford United surrendered the lead against local rivals Shrewsbury Town after allowing three defenders to score from set pieces.

Leon Constantine silenced the home support after just five minutes with his eighth of the season in all competitions.

However, Kelvin Langmead and Shane Cansdell-Sherriff both netted to complete the turnaround by half-time, before captain Graham Coughlan prodded in the hosts' third late on.

John Trewick named the same side for the third consecutive game, with teenager Tyler Weir retaining his place in the Bulls' back-line despite the return from suspension of Ryan Valentine.

Shrewsbury started the stronger, with Cansdell-Sherriff's header that arrowed inches the wrong side of the upright serving as a sign of things to come.

But the majority of the 6,000-stong crowd were soon left stunned as Constantine beat Coughlan to a chipped ball forward and finished clinically past goalkeeper David Button.

Paul Simpson's side soon responded, however, forcing a succession of corner-kicks that caused chaos after Dave Hibbert had lashed a whisker wide from 20 yards.

From their fourth consecutive flag kick amid a period of sustained pressure, Langmead was on hand to convert Craig Disley's in-swinger from close-range.

Hereford bounced back with a flowing passing move down the right that ended with Constantine's attempted cut-back to Craig King lacking power, allowing Button to intercept.

And Town were quick to take advantage of Constantine's mis-cue.

Steven Leslie's inviting free-kick was met by an unmarked Cansdell-Sherriff, who glanced the ball beyond Bartlett and into the top-corner.

United's set-piece struggles didn't end there, with Constantine later clearing a Hibbert effort off the line, before Hibbert and Langmead got in each others way attempting to net another Disley centre at the back post.

The hosts' top-scorer Hibbert threatened again at the start of the second-half, climbing above both Darren Jones and Paul Downing to power Chris Neal's left-wing cross wide.

But as the period progressed it was Hereford who enjoyed the baulk of possession and dared to haul themselves back on level terms.

King's curling 20-yarder forced Button into a low save, with Kenny Lunt controversially booked for diving inside the danger-zone after latching onto the rebound.

Substitute Mathieu Manset then stung the hands of the Spurs' loanee with a vicious effort with the outside of his boot.

Former Shrew Marc Pugh saw a low shot from a tight angle blocked by Button, before having a passionate appeal for a spot-kick waved away after his cross stuck the arm of a defender inside the penalty area.

Having denied Hereford a leveller, the hosts finished the tie with a flourish, catching the Bulls on the break on several occasions.

Jake Robinson - on for Disley - watched his looping header cannon off the crossbar, before glancing a Neal cross wide of a gaping goal and seeing another low drive denied by Bartlett.

But Town did eventually add a crucial third 10 minutes from time - again from a set piece and again from a defender - as captain Coughlan prodded home amid a goal-mouth scramble.

To their credit, the Bulls battled to the end and came close to reducing the deficit in the dying embers.

Jones' header from a corner was kept out by an instinctive save from Button, before James McQuilkin's low larrup across goal narrowly evaded the onrushing Constantine.

Shrewsbury Town: Button, Langmead, Coughlan ©, Cansdell-Sherriff, Skarz, L. Neal, McIntyre, Dunfield, Leslie, Disley (Robinson, 68), Hibbert.

Subs Not Used: C. Neal, Bright, Murray, Richards, D. Taylor, J. Taylor.

Hereford United: Bartlett ©, Gwynne, Downing, D. Jones, Weir, Pugh, Lunt, McQuilkin, McCallum, Constantine, King (Manset, 54).

Subs Not Used: Adamson, Valentine, Lowe, C. Jones, Done, Elford- Alliyu.

Attendance: 6,098 - 689 away