Gillingham v Shrewsbury Town: Jason Cummings pushing for a starting spot

Cummings scored twice off the bench as the Shrews held the Premier League leaders to a 2-2 draw in the FA Cup at Montgomery Waters Meadow on Sunday, writes Rosie Swarbrick.

But before they head to Anfield for the replay, the Shrews face League One trips to Gillingham and Rochdale.

And Ricketts says 24-year-old Cummings’ sharpness is returning as he continues to shake off his fitness issues and bids to make his first start tonight since November’s 2-0 FA Cup win over Mansfield.

Ricketts said: “He’s getting closer (to returning to the starting line-up).

“The sharpness he shows coming off the bench is probably physically where he is at.

“He’s done really well making an impact coming on and scoring in the last couple of games, it’s excellent for him and the team.”

Cummings replaced Callum Lang on Sunday and Ricketts is not ruling out starting the two forwards in a front two in the future.

He said: “I have done already this year (played them in a front two) so they definitely can do.

“We pick teams and formations depending on who we are going to play against and who is available.

“They have done and they did well when they played as a front two earlier this season.”

The Shrews travel to Gillingham with midfielder Ollie Norburn a doubt and new signing Josh Vela not in contention with a slight knock.

And as they embark on trips to Gillingham, Rochdale and Liverpool in the next week or so, Ricketts praised the fans.

He said: “It is not ideal but there is nothing you can do about it.

“We have a busy week on the back of only one free midweek in the last three or four weeks before this. It’s plenty of games but this is football.

“The players will be as rested as possible ahead of kick-off.

“It is extremely hard on supporters.

“We do everything we can (to make travel easy) for the players but supporter-wise for them to try and get to as many games as they do in a short space of time, such long journeys too, anyone who makes those I’m very grateful.”

Ricketts’ side could leapfrog 14th-placed Gillingham with victory tonight and he says his 16th-placed outfit are not in a false position.

He said: “We are aiming to be as high as we can.

“The league position is what it is.

“It is not false because we are where we are. But we have games in hand, we are three points away from jumping however many positions because it is that tight.

“It would be nice to go and win back-to-back three or four games on the bounce because you would climb a long way up the league.

“We have lost two in the last eight. It is actually two in more than that if you go back to before Christmas.

“One of those was a last-minute winner for Rotherham and the other one was Doncaster where we could not get going again after the Bristol City game.

“We are doing all right. We just want to pick up the three points tonight because that is huge when the league is as tight as it is.”

And he is expecting a tough test from Steve Evans’ side.

He said: “They are a good side and have evolved over the year. They are a side that are hard to beat.

“They have not lost in the league since November.

“They have made a few signings recently, mainly in the frontline with big John Akinde and Jordan Roberts has gone in. They have pace, power and other threats.”