A Shropshire striker who has taken the West Midlands League’s premier division by storm is on the radar of Shrewsbury Town.

Ludlow Town forward Nathan Hodge played the entire 90 minutes for Shrewsbury’s reserves in their 2-1 home defeat against Walsall at the Prostar Stadium.

The 20-year-old has exploded on to the non-League scene in the county by scoring 15 times in eight league games for Ludlow this season – after finding the net on a further eight occasions in pre-season.

And that was after bagging 38 goals in less than 30 games for Woofferton in the Herefordshire Premier League last season.

Shrewsbury manager Paul Simpson, who witnessed Hodge in action last night, was sufficiently impressed to be keen to take a further look at the pacy forward.

“A couple of people recommended Nathan to us so we thought we would have a look at him in a reserve game – and he definitely showed something,” said Simpson. “He showed some very good touches and I thought he did fantastically to get through 90 minutes considering he had probably done a day’s work.

“He has got a great scoring record so I will have a chat to their manager (Stuart Corns) and see if we can get something sorted to have another look at him.”

Hodge certainly did his cause no harm last night with a lively display, during which he won the free-kick from which Steve Leslie equalised as he threatened to break away from Saddlers defender Daniel Partridge.

The Craven Arms-based striker also flashed a near post opportunity inches wide and into the side netting after getting on the end of a Josh Evans cross.

Ludlow boss Corns was also in the crowd at the Prostar Stadium last night to watch his charge in action, and is confident the youngster could step up in grade.