Sam Ricketts challenges Shrewsbury match-winner Tyrese Campbell to keep up his hot streak
Shrewsbury boss Sam Ricketts has challenged match-winner Tyrese Campbell to keep up his scoring streak with competition chomping at the bit.
Stoke loanee Campbell, 19, scored his second goal in two games to seal the 2-1 win at League One high-fliers Peterborough on Saturday – Town’s first win in 10 games and just second away this season – to climb out of the bottom four.
Ricketts revealed that 14-goal top scorer Fejiri Okenabirhie, who came on with little over 15 minutes to play, had an injection in his foot earlier in the week but is still pushing for a start.
Campbell partnered Aaron Amadi-Holloway at London Road as Salop staged a six minute first-half comeback after falling behind early on but, as both sides had a man sent off, it was Ricketts’ visitors that earned the spoils.
“His challenge is just to keep playing well to stay in the team,” said Ricketts.
“Because we’ve got players, like Fejiri who had an injection in his foot last week, who is fit and chomping at the bit to play as well.
“Aaron played, we’ve got Stef Payne and Sam Smith. So if you want to play you have to play well.
“That’s the challenge for all the players. If you get the opportunity to start the game then you best play well because there’ll be somebody else jumping ready to go.
“It was his foot a couple of months ago. To be fair he’s played through the pain.
“I also wanted to give him a mental and physical rest as well. You have to remember he’s a young lad who’s jumped two leagues.”
“He’s done it really well, The physicality he’s playing is hugely different. He’s done it really, really well. But he’s a young lad, we need to help get him fresher into games.
“He has had a niggle, the injection to clear something up, it was an opportunity to say have a down couple of weeks but he came on and worked incredibly hard and played his part for the team.”
Town defended resolutely late on to keep their advantage after skipper Ollie Norburn was shown a second yellow card on the hour.
That even the playing field up after former Town loanee Ivan Toney was sent off in the first period for a deliberate handball on the goal line.
