Steve Cotterill concentrating on getting his Shrewsbury Town strikers firing

The Shrewsbury chief looks to kick-start his side’s third tier campaign at the fifth time of asking following a miserable return of four defeats so far.

Ahead of the visit of Gillingham to Montgomery Waters Meadow, Town are out to avoid an unwanted club Football League record of opening up with five league defeats to start a season.

Salop are the only side in the Football League yet to register a goal in the league following 360 minutes of action – and the manager is focused on his centre-forwards Sam Cosgrove, Dan Udoh, Ryan Bowman and Rekeil Pyke breaking their duck, above all else in Town colours.

“At the moment we’ve got to get our strikers scoring, because that’s important for them,” Cotterill said.

“Never mind the rest of the team at the moment, it’s important our strikers get off the mark. Obviously Dan’s got two in the cup, and the other strikers have all had other chances, they’ll say that.

“The more we highlight it, the tougher it comes for them. I know, because I’ve been there before, how they feel.

“So we carry on the practice and the repetition, doing all the right things in training, because that will drop and they will score goals.

“And then when they score goals they will be different players in other aspects, their hold-up play and passing will be better. It will be good to see them get a goal.”

Fans vented their frustration during and after Tuesday’s Carabao Cup exit to Rochdale, where the only effort on target was an early header from a corner.

Cotterill’s men are yet to have troubled opposition goalkeepers sufficiently and Marko Marosi and his defenders have also been unable to record a clean sheet in six games in all competitions.

The boss added: “When they go out there and confidence hits a bit, it looks like they don’t try, but it’s not the case, it’s a case of ‘do I show up for this ball, or what happens if I lose it again?’ ‘What happens if I keep getting in and misses these chances?’

“We have to keep getting on the ball, encourage them to get into the box and miss those chances – because they won’t keep missing, their technique says they won’t keep missing.

“We need to encourage them into that and keep it going until it drops, because they’re all playing at a good level of football and have done it for a young time, apart from a couple of young ones we’re bringing through.”

Cotterill revealed he and his coaching have had to be careful of an overkill on crossing and finishing drills as games come thick and fast.

The boss said that the one week in which they focused heavily on those drills, striker Ryan Bowman pulled up with a hamstring injury.

He added it would either be a ‘brave or silly’ man to keep up such drills which could lead to similar injuries.

Matt Pennington will miss out due to a one-game ban picked up from Tuesday’s red card, with a shortened punishment due to a professional foul. Town did not appeal the suspension.

Midfielder Davis Davis and striker Bowman, who was an unused substitute the other evening, are closing in on being ready for selection following hamstring injuries.