Alex McQuade earns praise after being frozen out at Shrewsbury Town

McQuade joined Town from Championship outfit Bolton Wanderers in the summer aiming to stake a claim for regular first team football.

But he has so far made just two senior appearances for the team since then, both of which came in the opening week of the season.

His chances to impress have been severely restricted by the form of left-back Joe Jacobson, who has been a virtual ever-present this season.

And the recent arrival of Burney loanee Joseph Mills, who can play both left-back and left-midfield, has increased the competition in McQuade's favoured position.

But Jackson said he has been impressed with the player's response to such adversity.

He said: "He's still developing and he's obviously had a lot of competition with the likes of Joe Jacobson and with 'Millsy' coming in now.

"So Alex knows the situation. I have spoken to him about it, but he has just got his head down and trained. He's a good lad."

Jackson made several changes to his starting XI for the visit of Port Vale on Saturday with a number of regular starters being moved to the bench.

But McQuade was left out of the side, with Jackson opting to name just six substitutes.

Asked if the player had been injured, Jackson said: "No. I just decided that that was the way I wanted to do it.

"There's nothing against Alex. I just felt that is what I wanted to do."

McQuade's two appearances for Town so far came against MK Dons in the opening game of the season and his former club Bolton Wanderers in the Capital One Cup first round.

The 21-year-old was brought on as an 89th-minute substitute in the 0-0 draw against the Dons.

And he played 72 minutes plus stoppage time against the Trotters, having replaced striker John Marsden.