Shrewsbury Town midfielder to undergo final scan ahead of return

Jack Price is closing in on a Shrewsbury Town return but must first undergo a final scan on his hamstring injury.

Boss Gavin Cowan said the veteran midfielder will miss Salop’s FA Cup first round trip to National League Eastleigh this weekend, as he urged caution over his comeback.

Cowan had hoped Price would be nearing a return to action, but the 33-year-old remains sidelined as he undergoes further checks.

Cowan said: “We’re probably going to get him one more scan to try and clear him up, so he’s mentally and physically ready. But he’s getting very close now.”

Price has been out since making a substitute appearance in Town’s first competitive game of the season at Salford City in the EFL Cup.

That brief outing came after the midfielder missed a significant chunk of pre-season with a heel problem.

The Shrewsbury-born former Wolves midfielder has since been working his way back, stepping up his rehabilitation on the grass.

Price has been seen completing ball work and drills alongside head of medical Chris Skitt in recent weeks, but Town are determined not to rush his return.

Cowan admitted he had been pushing for the midfielder to be available this weekend, but stressed the importance of getting his recovery right.

“I was very clear at the time that it was a possibility and we were pushing for that,” he said.

“And that’s a little bit of me pushing the medical team trying to get him back.

“But, look, we have to do it right, and I’m banging on Chris Skitt’s door, telling him that I want him back and we need him to be part of the group.

“We have to be patient. And it’s the right thing to do when you’ve got a bit of a long-standing injury, or in the medium term - you have to be careful with bringing him back.

“We’re having to just be a little bit more restrained with him at the moment because he’s in a very, very good place. And when you’re seeing him out on the grass, it gets quite exciting.

“But we want to make sure that when he’s back, he’s back for good.”

Town have received a squad boost this week, meanwhile, with Jay Turner-Cooke and Isaac Fletcher both available again after serving their respective suspensions.

“It is great to have them back,” Cowan said. “We are, as everyone knows, a small squad, but we're very happy with the players that we’ve got.

“So, to have them back now just brings that small element of competition. But I think performances have been really good. We don’t need to change things too much.

“We need to just be focused on the performances and look after the results.

“We know we’ve got to be a bit more ruthless. We know we’ve got to get more of a winning mentality in the group because performances are part of a process to the outcome that is results. It is great to have them back.”