Sho-Silva confident there is more to come from him
STRIKER TOBI Sho-Silva feels there is plenty more to come from him in a Halifax shirt.
The forward has scored six goals in 26 outings for The Shaymen this season, which is already the second highest appearances tally for a single campaign in his career.
“I feel like there’s more to come from me,” he said. “I think I’m growing as a player up-front.
“As a striker I feel like I’m improving, in terms of my hold-up play and my runs in-behind.
“I think I can show more, on a more consistent basis.
“With game-time you always improve, you always learn off your last game, and with what we do in training.
“People like Clarkey (Nathan Clarke) and Browny (Matty Brown) give me little tips on how I can get better.”
The ex-Dover and Bromley front-man has regularly been used as the sole striker in a 4-23-1 system this season by Halifax boss Pete Wild, a role which has often required him to play with his back to goal and compete physically against bruising centre-halves.
“I can play anywhere across the front three but the majority of the time, I’ve played out wide and come in as a second centreforward,” he said.
“Being up there by myself is quite new to me, but I feel like I’m adapting and growing into that role.”
Sho-Silva was the club’s only out-and-out striker when he joined Halifax in the summer, but now has competition in the shape of Liam McAlinden, Jack Redshaw and loanee Shawn McCoulsky.
“There’s a phrase one of my friends says - pressure produces diamonds - and I think when there’s competition, it’s better for the team because it brings the best out of you,” he said.
“All you can do is not want your shirt, but earn your shirt, and that means you’ve got to be the best every day in training and games, because you know there’s someone chasing you.
“But he’s there alongside you as well, to support you and make sure that, as a club, we get three points on a Saturday.”
When asked if he felt he had made the right decision in joining The Shaymen and moving away from his London roots, Sho-Silva said: “100 per cent. The decision I made was based on my faith, I prayed on the decision and that’s where I felt the Lord led me.
“I can see why he’s led me here in terms of the relationships I’ve made and the impact I feel like I’m making.
“It’s just a privilege for me to be here. I think it’s been a good season.
“It’s my first time away from home so I’ve had to adapt, but the boys have been amazing.
“I’ve really felt part of the team, and with Pete (Wild) and Milly (assistant manager Chris Millington), it’s been really enjoyable.
“I think we’ve got a chance to push on if we get our heads down.”
Halifax go into Saturday’s National League clash with Notts County at The Shay in seventh place, a scenario Sho-Silva would have been delighted with at the beginning of the campaign.
“I’d have snapped your hand off,” he said.
“I think sometimes you’ve just got to sit back, take a breather and say ‘where are we and what have we achieved?’
“Sometimes you don’t give yourself credit for all the hard work you’ve put in, and sometimes you can get carried away with wanting to achieve so much. I still feel there is more we can build on and improve on, but it’s been great so far.”
And the 24-year-old is optimistic Town can stay in and around the promotion places in the New Year.
“The boys are excited,” he added, “we as a team have still got more to give, individuals still have more to give.
“If we can do that throughout the season, I think we’ll have a good second-half to the season.
“With hard work, anything’s possible. And good team spirit gets you over the line and gets you further than you think.
“And we have those two ingredients.”
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