Shrewsbury Town boss John Askey will remain patient with Fejiri Okenabirhie

The 22-year-old, Askey’s first signing after becoming Shrewsbury boss as he poached the striker from Dagenham & Redbridge, has yet to start a League One game for Salop.

Askey sees the former National League hitman, who he hailed as the best centre-forward in non-league’s top tier, as capable of playing in a two-man strikeforce or on the left wing. But the boss reckons there are elements of his game to be worked on.

Okenabirhie was arguably Town’s standout player in pre-season, where he scored four goals, but has only started in Town’s Checkatrade tie with Manchester City’s under-21s.

But he did net –along with Lennell John-Lewis and Lifumpa Mwandwe – in yesterday’s 3-0 Central League Cup win over Bristol Rovers at Montgomery Waters Meadow yesterday.

Askey said: “He is the one who looks more likely to get a goal.

“You have to balance that off with other parts of his game.”

Askey has so far opted to use one of either top scorer Lee Angol, fit-again Aaron Amadi-Holloway or Lenell John-Lewis in the lone forward role.

Town have been lacking goals this term, with nine from 11 League One games the second-fewest in the division, and they again drew a blank at Walsall on Tuesday night.

The Montgomery Waters Meadow boss sees Okenabirhie as having the tools to develop into a important player for Salop.

He added: “He started really well in pre-season, but pre-season is pre-season.

“Playing League One football for the first time, there are still things he’s got to learn and improve on.

“But with Fay it’ll be a gradual process. He’s got all the attributes to become a good player at this level. But sometimes it takes time.”