Youngsters start to press Shrewsbury Town claims

Ethan Jones and Dom Smith have furthered their reputations as first-team squad members and there are others biting at their ankles in a bid to impress the Town staff.

One of those is striker Kaiman Anderson, Salop's 19-year-old prodigy who has been catching the eye with his performances and goalscoring figures with non-league Halesowen Town.

Bench

Anderson's loan stint at The Grove is up at the end of the month and Hurst hinted that the academy graduate could have a say in Town's first team before the end of the season.

Another loan move could also be on the cards for the man who also spent time with AFC Telford United in 2015.

"Kaiman won't be there for the whole season and his loan is up at the end of January, it is something I'll be looking at soon," said Hurst.

"Possibly he could be ready for a place on the bench. It really depends where we end up towards the end of January realistically.

"It's a big ask for a young player who's relatively inexperienced and hasn't had much game time.

"But he has had a productive loan spell, the feedback I'm getting is that each year he's gone out and improved, this one in particular.

"I have to say since I've come in, when he's trained with us – and not always in his position – when he has, in the game (training match) we had here, he did pretty well. So I haven't discounted him, certainly. I'll be assessing him."

Shaun Rowley and Callum Grogan are two more that have wasted no time in impressing Salop's new chief.

Twenty-year-old goalkeeper Rowley returned from his spell with Chorley, of the National League North, with his reputation boosted further.

Rowley spent around two months challenging himself in the rough-and-tumble of the division and earned rave reviews.

He was named the club's player of the month for December and rounded off his spell keeping out league leaders AFC Fylde in a virtuoso display over Christmas.

Rowley is battling with Callum Burton, Mark Halstead and Jayson Leutwiler in the Greenhous Meadow goalkeeping ranks.

Hurst, who acknowledges the need for young goalkeepers to be involved in men's football, is keen to rotate those that go out and taste action.

Burton, also 20, made his first-team bow on the final day of last season at Swindon.

"All of the reports we've had on Shaun, and Danny's (Coyne) been keeping an eye on him and getting as much footage, have been very good," said Hurst. "It's been a positive loan for him.

"Shaun's a difficult one because I'm amazed we have the luxury of having four keepers. For them in particular it's hard, and as much as Danny does the work, there are certain things you can't recreate, it's harder for keepers.

"It's a big plus he's been out and played. I'm looking at Callum Burton now, would he benefit now for a loan spell? He went out and got injured early and didn't benefit. It might be Callum's turn, but you never know."

Teenage scholars Ryan Barnett and Ryan Sears, who have featured on the first-team bench in recent weeks, are expected to feature in Town's academy FA Youth Cup fourth round tie at Sunderland tonight.

The latest to feature in Hurst's matchday squad though was defender Grogan, who turned 19 last month.

The centre-half, from Liverpool, returned from a stint at Radcliffe Borough straight onto the bench for Saturday's draw at Swindon.

The boss said: "I've been impressed with Callum. I like his attitude, a young player that doesn't go out there and think 'I'm not going to compete', but at the same time he's respectful of his position and where he's at in his career. For the time being I want him to stay with us but I'm not saying he won't go back out on loan."

n A Town reserves side yesterday fell to a 2-1 Central League Cup defeat at the hands of Notts County.

Hurst had suggested that a young squad would travel to Meadow Lane, with tonight's FA Youth Cup tie at Sunderland in mind.

Nonetheless, Salop's second string stood up against a more experienced County outfit, but John McAtee's late goal wasn't enough. Town were punished for a sluggish start, going 2-0 down inside eight minutes as Montel Gibson and Dominic Brownhill struck.