RICKY Shakes looks at Rotherham United’s wretched run of results and insists ‘we have to take advantage’.
While Town’s own sequence is hardly sparkling, Mick Harford’s side go into today’s match having failed to record a victory in any one of their last 15 competitive matches.
The County Ground youngster just hopes he will be handed the chance to help extend that woeful run after an impressive run out for the reserves this week.
He caused problems down the right all afternoon and put some useful crosses into the box.
Still, battling to impress a watching manager in reserve games is nothing new to Shakes, he had plenty of practice under the watchful gaze of gum-chewing Sam Allardyce at Bolton Wanderers.
He said: “It can be quite intimidating in those situations when you know the gaffer is watching and it’s obviously something I’ve been through quite a bit.
“But that sort of pressure can sometimes help you, you know you have to do well and to do things right.
“It was good to play against Swansea this week and you hope you have given the manager something to think about.”
As for today’s challenge, whether selected or not, Shakes wants to deny Rotherham that winning feeling yet again.
He said: “They’re down there with us, haven’t won for a lot of games and we have to take advantage of that.
“Hopefully we can keep it tight at the back and tuck away more of the chances that we create as a team.”