Troy Parrott may not have been on the scoresheet since October but he is impressing with another side of his game for MK Dons.
Heading out on loan from Tottenham last season as he linked up with Millwall, a lack of game time saw the striker recalled during the January transfer window and subsequently sent to League One side Ipswich.
The Republic or Ireland international fared much better at Portman Road and managed to get off the mark in senior football with two goals in his 18 games for the Tractor Boys.
Not always getting it right when sending their players out on loan, Spurs' decision regarding Parrott last summer was crucial as they looked to find him the perfect club to aid his development.
Returning to League One with MK Dons, the 20-year-old is now playing his part in a promotion push with his team three points off the automatic places with 13 games of the season left.
Picking up a crucial 2-1 win away at Sunderland last weekend, Parrott had a big hand in the victory by teeing up Connor Wickham for their winner 15 minutes from time.
It was in fact his fifth assist of the season, making it nine goals involvements in the process after netting four times for the Buckinghamshire club.
However, his last goal for MK came all the way back in October after finding the net in their EFL Trophy defeat at home to Aston Villa's U21s.
Despite a lack of goals in senior football after scoring for fun coming through the ranks at Tottenham, MK Dons boss Liam Manning is not concerned about his striker's form in front of goal and has instead hailed the work he is doing off the ball..
“(Troy) showed some moments of real quality today to contribute to the goals," he told the club's official website after their win over Sunderland. "Troy wants to score goals, obviously, as any attacking player does but I think he's really matured in terms of the work he puts in out of possession and the honesty to track back and compete.
"If he he keeps doing that, then the goals will come, I've got no worries about that."
In and out of the team around the turn of the year, Parrott's chance in the starting XI has come once again following Max Watters' return to Cardiff City.
The youngster is currently in the side on merit and he is doing everything right to catch the eye of his boss.
"Troy has had to be patient for his chance,” said Manning after their win over Lincoln City. “He’s shown a level of energy and intensity, he looks sharp and there is a challenge for him to keep that. He played a massive part today.
“I speak to him all the time, we’re always talking to all of them about their levels of performance. When I pick a team, I pick what the team needs, and the challenge for the players it to force their way into it.
“People forget Troy is still developing. He’s so young. He burst onto the scene and when that happens, the level of pressure and expectation goes through the roof.
“He’s in a good spot. He now has to keep at this level and recognise why he’s playing well and reflect and continue doing that. He looked good (against Lincoln).”
As much as Tottenham would like their man to score goals for fun before returning to the club in the summer as Fabio Paratici gets his plans in place for the future, that is not always possible but Manning's comments about their player will have been very well received in N17.
Extremely unlikely to transfer his outstanding goalscoring form from academy football to the senior game right away at such a young age, Parrott is now showing a different side to his game and that will only help him in his development as he aims to become a more rounded player before his time at MK Dons comes to an end.
In a battle for promotion as we get set to enter the business end of the season, the Irishman now faces a big few months as he looks to get his name back on the scoresheet and also help his teammates achieve a place in the Championship.
If he can do that then it will only bode well on his Tottenham return and the next step in his career.
