Josh Daniels sidelined for Shrewsbury Town after rolling ankle twice

The Northern Irishman, 25, has endured a frustrating second season at Shrewsbury and has started just twice in 15 games in all competitions so far this term.

The winger-turned-wing-back has missed out in the last three matches due to ankle injury sustained during the half-time warm-up in the 2-1 victory over AFC Wimbledon two Saturdays ago.

Daniels came on in the closing stages of that game but rolled the same ankle again in training the following day and is currently recovering. The knock forced him out of a much-changed Town side's 3-1 EFL Trophy win over Wolves under-21s last night, in which Daniels would have otherwise featured.

Both Daniels and central midfielder Josh Vela are set to remain unavailable for Saturday's League One trip to Ipswich.

Vela took a bang to the knee against Wimbledon and has missed league defeats to Wycombe and Bolton.

"I don't think so, no," Cotterill said on either Daniels or Vela being availability for the weekend.

"I suppose you've had more of an update on Josh Vela, but Josh Daniels has gone over on his ankle.

"He's a tough boy, to be fair to him. But he hasn't been able to do anything, walk on it properly, at the moment.

"He injured it at half-time the other week, he rolled it, and then he ended up going on the pitch late on for Elliott Bennett.

"The following day in training he rolled the same ankle again, which I suppose was a little bit of a disappointment for him. But hopefully he'll be OK soon. I don't envisage him being around the squad the weekend, and probably the same with Vels."

Town had three 17-year-olds and an 18-year-old start last night's Trophy comeback victory over a Wolves youth outfit.

Right-back Callum Wilson – with his first first-team involvement – and attackers Louis Lloyd, Tom Bloxham – who both scored – and Charlie Caton all featured heavily.

Another significant night for the club's academy follows an extremely strong start to the season from Town's under-18s, who are now managed by new youth coaching recruit Kyle Kirby.

Kirby, who works under academy director David Longwell – now with the first team – Charlie Musselwhite and Rob Williams, has guided his side to five wins from five in the EFL Youth Alliance Northwest division.

First team boss Cotterill explained that Kirby attends senior training every Thursday to take tactical insight for his under-18s side.

"He comes down every week, the youth team manager, and watches the tactical sessions," Cotterill said. "He's trying to play the same way, so he comes down and watches every Thursday and that is what I would encourage.

"So when they come up, at least they've got an idea, a comprehensive of what we do.

"I always like that relationship with the youth team anyway, wherever I've been, if they can mirror or copy some movements when they come up, then they understand them.

"Even silly things, like throw-ins last night, you might see a player with the ball in his hands and he doesn't know what he's got to do with it. Callum (Wilson) didn't look like he didn't know what to do.

"And the other boys had the movement to make the throw easier for him, it happened. So all of those little things have a knock-on effect, it's all credit to the youth team and Dave for bringing some of those boys to the club in the first place."