Top scorer Fejiri Okenabirhie is growing in confidence in fine debut Shrewsbury Town season

The 23-year-old took his impressive debut season goal haul to 15 by netting the opener in Saturday’s crucial win at Southend.

Okenabirhie, John Askey’s first signing last summer, has settled to life in League One well by netting nine league goals in his first proper stint in the division after joining from the National League.

His top form attracted interest from big boys Sunderland on the January transfer deadline but Salop rebuffed a bid. The London-born frontman, who has Nigerian roots, then went on an 11-game scoreless run before netting in Essex.

“It was an excellent finish, ‘Fey’ is a goalscorer. My view hasn’t changed on him, I’ve said all along I really like him,” said Ricketts of the centre-forward, who has been part of Ricketts’ rotation policy with fellow strikers Tyrese Campbell, Aaron Amadi-Holloway and Stefan Payne featuring.

“He’s a young lad who’s growing all the time, growing in confidence but growing into this level as well.

“He’s stepped up two levels and is playing in a different position to non-league, where he played on the left of a front three.

“Now we’re asking him to play up top, he’s improving all the time. He’s got loads more to improve on.

“We’ll try to nurture him and help him keep progressing and keep scoring.”

Okenabirhie has recovered from small setbacks, including a foot injection, a tweak in his knee and fatigue to rediscover some of his top form.

“Ultimately he counts his goals like anyone, it’s been an excellent year,” Ricketts added.

“We have to continue to manage him. We had to rest him for a while because I thought he got very fatigued.

“We’re trying to get his game back going and that’s why he’s been in for the last two games. Scoring goals is what football is about and he certainly has the knack of doing it.”