Dave Edwards: Shrewsbury goal hero Dan Udoh is the ultimate professional

I wrote last week that they would need to back the draw at Sheffield Wednesday up with a win at home against a good, in-form Wimbledon.

It feels like Town did their job and will now have some confidence going into Wycombe tonight. They needed to win at least one of these games and six points is achievable.

Overall it was one of the better performances of the season. Not necessarily because of the football, but looking a lot more defensively resolute.

We’re still chasing that clean sheet but apart from the goal and a late cross, AFC Wimbledon didn’t have many clear-cut chances.

As disappointed as Steve Cotterill will be with their counter-attack goal, when Town aren’t set up behind the ball defensively for a quick free-kick, if Town scored this goal we’d be marvelling on it.

It was clinical, pacy, taken really well with a tidy finish. The pace and movement made it a good goal, if you gave them that another three or four times I don’t think they’d execute it as well.

The big thing now is we seem to have a bit more urgency to get it wide. You look at the stats, crosses in good areas, which I’ve alluded to. We’re not as reliant with possession, but moving it more quickly. We’ve got bodies in the box and they’re scoring goals of late, that’s the manger’s tactic. Both wing-backs have been very good in the last few games.

The only shame would be that if Josh Vela doesn’t make tonight or Saturday, and his injury is more serious than we all hope, then Luke Leahy may have to come in, because he’s really come into his own on the left. Similarly with Elliott Bennett on the other side.

The wing-backs not only give you width but it’s also so important how high up the pitch they can push on, to give you that attacking threat.

In recent weeks we’ve got them high up the pitch, look at Elliott’s cross for Leahy’s header, it’s right from the byline, and what a ball from Shaun Whalley, that’s an aggressive pass to play at 1-0 down with fans on edge. It was brave.

Getting players high up the pitch to cross, we’ve got players who will attack the ball and will thrive off crosses. You can see how it’s been worked on.

I was made up for Dan Udoh. He had a good pre-season and scored two in the cup early on, but it’s kind of fizzled out.

I think he’s been a victim of the formation a little earlier on when he was in that No.10 role a couple of times. For me Dan is not a No.10, he plays on the shoulder, he pins and rolls defenders. He likes to feel the contact of the defenders, he’s a No.9 all day long.

I’m glad he got a run out but more importantly the goal. I know people see how good his attitude is by how hard he works in games, but he is one of the best professionals I’ve ever worked with – and I’ve played with a lot of players!

He was in the gym before training, the manager would have to drag him off the training pitch because he constantly wants to do shooting, get better, improve his hold-up play. After training he’s straight back in the gym, his nutrition is bang on.

In Dan’s world he’ll control everything he can control. It probably, at times, is to his detriment because he’s so over-analytical, always looking at ways to improve. At times he can over-analyse his weaknesses rather than concentrate on how good he is at pinning and rolling defenders.

He’s clever with runs into the box. Dan’s confidence can take a knock because he’s always looking to improve. The manager has tried to give him confidence, you get that by playing and scoring.

I really do think he can take off. It’s been a bit stop-start for Dan, but at his age and physique he really does have the potential to be a real top goalscorer in this league and kick on.

I just hope he continues to score goals because when you have a confident Dan Udoh, some of the stuff he can do will be unplayable for League One defenders.

I think Steve has given Cosgrove more chances than any other striker. I know he’s got a couple of goals but performance-wise I don’t think he’s backed it up as yet. He will always get the benefit of the doubt as a new signing, but that feels a bit harsh on Udoh, Bloxham and Caton. Bowman looks like having his chance now, I’d love to see Dan alongside him.

I think Dan’s helps raise the atmosphere. His big, beaming smile goes a long way to driving training sessions and having a good morale. In football you get players who might be easier to drop, because you’re such a good pro, you get on with it and don’t let it affect training or sulk.

Wycombe have had a little dip but started the season so well. I know Joe Jacobson, Sam Vokes and Gareth McCleary well. They will have to defend set-pieces well because Joe puts it on the money.

Sam will be dangerous in the box, he always gets to the ball at the last second.

And McCleary is probably their star at the minute. He’s revitalised himself at Wycombe after struggling at Reading and has been absolutely flying. They have an array of talent, it’ll be a tough game.