Lee Collins calls for character to halt Shrewsbury Town slide
On-loan defender Lee Collins has urged Shrewsbury Town’s strong characters to come to the fore as they aim to arrest the club’s slide this weekend.
Town entertain Colchester on Saturday on the back of just one victory from their last eight games.
And Collins has called for a big response as they attempt to get back on track at the Greenhous Meadow.
“Confidence is a massive thing in football and we need strong characters and senior players to step up now and pull everyone through,” said Collins. “I’m sure that will happen. It’s a great bunch of lads and there’s a lot of ability in the squad.
“Little bits and pieces aren’t quite going right and, if they start coming together, we are going to look like a solid team.”
Collins admits Shrewsbury must improve defensively after shipping three goals in their two most recent outings against Portsmouth and Yeovil.
“We have conceded six goals in the last two games and from a defensive point of view it’s not good enough,” added the 24-year-old.
“I think it’s down to lapses in concentration. Everyone is grafting hard enough and defending from the front.
“We have just got a tendency to switch off and we are getting punished for it.
“A lot of people want us to score more goals but we need to start from the back. If we keep clean sheets, goals will come.”
Collins, meanwhile, is hoping his initial one month’s loan from Barnsley, which is due to expire after this weekend, will be extended.
“I’m settling in here,” added the Telford-born defender. “I know results aren’t going well but I’m enjoying playing so I would be happy to stop on.”
Meanwhile, Town’s youngsters bowed out of the FA Youth Cup last night after slipping to a 4-3 defeat at Coventry.
“If you come away from home and score three goals, you expect to win so that’s disappointing,” said head of youth Wayne Evans.