Striker nets after wife taken ill

Shrewsbury Town striker Andy Cooke has revealed the personal torment behind his hat-trick heroics at Stockport County last night. Market Drayton-born Cooke notched a stunning treble in a 3-0 win at Edgeley Park that ended a run of three successive defeats.

Shrewsbury Town striker Andy Cooke has revealed the personal torment behind his hat-trick heroics at Stockport County last night.

Market Drayton-born Cooke notched a stunning treble in a 3-0 win at Edgeley Park that ended a run of three successive defeats.

He became the first Town player to bag a hat-trick in the Football League since Ryan Lowe in the 4-1 success over Bury at Gay Meadow on Boxing Day2002. But that was only half of the story, with Cooke having to cope with a major family crisis in the run-up to the game.

"It has been a really stressful couple of days because my wife Katie was rushed into Royal Shrewsbury Hospital in the early hours of Monday morning with severe stomach pains," said the 32-year-old.

"I had to follow the ambulance in my car and it's been a really hard two days.

"People have been great, helping us out with the kids as I have been going to and from the hospital, and I managed to catch up on a bit of sleep late on Monday.

"But I think the gaffer (Gary Peters) was worried about playing me and I wanted to go out and prove to him I was okay. Hopefully I did that - and, fingers crossed, it seems that Katie is getting the all-clear."

Cooke left Edgeley Park with the matchball signed by his Shrewsbury team-mates as a memento of his third hat-trick of his career.

But he admitted: "I was starting to get a little bit frustrated in the first half.

"They weren't on top of us but, with all due respect to Stockport, I feel we have the players to be able to go up there and really stamp our authority on the game from the start.

"We weren't doing that and it was always going to be massive whoever got the first goal.

"It doesn't matter who scores, I'm just pleased we won.

"I love the club and love being here and I just really want to do well and help it be successful."

Manager Gary Peters was delighted with his side's "disciplined" showing - and the performance of Chris MacKenzie, who made his first Football League start for Town at the expense of the dropped Ryan Esson.

"I'm a fairly calm manager and I'm not the type to start with something and then rip it up without giving people time to gain confidence," he said.

"But I feel Ryan has had long enough. There is more going on in the box in this league than the Scottish Premier League where he played with Aberdeen.

"His best game was Notts County away where he did what I expected him to do, but he hasn't done well enough - simple as that.

"Chris MacKenzie did brilliantly against Birmingham and deserved to start the next game but we had just beat Boston 5-0.

"I had to wait for the right time and felt this was it.

"Chris did the job he had to here - and now it's Ryan's turn to sit and wait for his chance to come along again."

By JAMES GARRISON

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