David Artell says that Charlie Kirk put himself back in the frame with a goal and assist for U-23s.

The best way to overcome his recent red card is for Charlie Kirk to become a potential match winner for the club. That is what David Artell wants from his talented teenager after he returned from a three match suspension by creating one and scoring one against Sheffield Wednesday’s U-23s on Monday.

Kirk has now fallen down the pecking order after being shown a straight red card at Exeter City for a lunging tackle, but Artell says that the best way to put himself back in the frame is to produce the goods in the final third.

The Alex boss said: “Charlie came back and scored one and made one on Monday, so that is a great start. That is what we want from him. We have been on to him about creating and scoring more goals and he has taken that on.

“He has to keep that going because we know what talent he has. Now, he also has to do the other side of the game as well, the ugly side of the game if you like, the tracking back, the covering, the defensive sides of things.

He added: “He has to run around and work hard for the team. I had mixed reports about that on Monday, so that is something I will talk to him about and look for improvement. He knows that and he takes things on board.”