Rovers were astounded to learn their star striker Junior Agogo may have been on the Nottingham Forest coach travelling to Yorkshire.
Forest had tried to arrange a quick loan deal to have him on the bench at Huddersfield, but Rovers insisted "show us the money first".
The acrimonious transfer should go through before Thursday's deadline with Rovers demanding £250,000, while Agogo's agent insists he can move for half that under a contract he signed in January.
The bitter fallout had a special significance for young Haldane, who wants to show Rovers he can fill Agogo's boots. A message he underlined midway through the first half with his season's first goal and a good one it was too.
His partner Richard Walker fell back to a deep position on the left to slide a pass to him. Haldane held off a half-hearted challenge from Sagi Burton and racing on waited for Ryan Esson to come off his line.
The Shrews keeper did just that and was a desperate no-man's land situation as the shot was knocked past him and into the empty net.
Being in front is a novel experience for Rovers and with Derek Asamoah running at them it was a test of their commitment.
It almost went wrong for them early in the second half after Shrewsbury had been sent out with instructions to play more of the game in Rovers' final third.
Stretching for ball flying in from the right Asamoah turned it into the top of the net, but the offside flag was already up.
Town were well organised and lively, but were unable to make any impression as Rovers' self belief grew.