PEST in the penalty area Lucas Akins can give Tranmere an additional striking option as they face the prospect of losing Enoch Showunmi to another injury layoff, manager Les Parry says.

Target man Showunmi could be out of contention for a couple of weeks with the ankle problem that caused him to miss last Saturday’s 1-0 home defeat to Sheffield Wednesday. He is certainly unlikely to start in Rovers’ League One visit to Exeter City this weekend.

Mustafa Tiryaki has been leading the line on a regular basis while ŠShowunmi battled with a number of fitness issues over the last two months.

But Akins, most often deployed in a wide midfield role this season, provided a timely reminder of his centre forward skills as a substitute in the Sheffield game -- and Parry says the 22-year-old Yorkshireman is counting among his options.

Parry said: “When Lucas first came to us at the beginning of last season he was a striker. He gives us another option up front and it’s always been there.

“He did well when we put him up front against Sheffield Wednesday. He is a pest. He does not allow opposing centre backs to settle on the ball and he does not mind if he takes a knock.”

Parry reckons Akins has come on “leaps and bounds” since signing as a free agent from Huddersfield in the summer of 2010 and is winning over supporters with his wholehearted performances.

“The crowd have taken to Lucas which is an indication of how well he is doing,” Parry said. “Lucas is Šdifficult to play against because opposing teams don’t know what he’s going to do next.”

Showunmi, Tranmere’s 13 goal leading marksman last season, has not been able to start for six games as a result of groin and ankle problems.

Parry suspects the 29-year-old is still paying the price for the leg fracture he sustained in the closing weeks of last season.

“The number of players who pick up secondary injuries when they are coming back from a serious injury are quite noted,” Parry said.

“Enoch did not get a full pre-season of work during the summer. We let him get through the work without pushing him because he was only just starting to run. At the beginning of the season he tried his best but it was still too painful. He did not really recover until the end of August or the beginning of September. That could be one of the reasons he is struggling now.”

Tiryaki, learning on the job after stepping up from nonleague football in the summer, was initially told he would be rested for the Sheffield Wednesday game. Parry explained: “Enoch was due to start on Saturday and I had a little word with Mustafa. Then Enoch pulled up with his ankle problem.

“So after telling Mustafa he wasn’t playing, I had to go back to him and say I was only kidding. To be fair to Mustafa, he just knuckles down and gets on with it.”