Toolstation NCEL Premier Division
Russ Eagle has praised Handsworth’s youngsters who have grasped first team opportunities during pre-season.
Teenager Noah Flint, a member of the club’s Sheffield & Hallamshire County Senior League side, was a late starlet in the 4-2 defeat to Ossett United on Saturday afternoon.
He was one of several players from the youth ranks who came off the bench and helped bring the score-line back to a respectable figure.
“The most positive part of today was the impact of the younger lads,” Eagle told Non League Yorkshire.
“They helped us to get it back to 4-2.
“It is like all pre-season games you have lads working or on holiday and we have gone down the road of playing the younger lads for a few years and they’re getting better and better.
“Not to give them a chance would be criminal.
“Ethan Hobson and Noah Flint stood out (against Ossett) along with young Jake Baldwin who we have brought in.
“He’s come from the young set-up at Hallam and he’s been great in the last two or three games.
“Noah made an impression with his goal and what we’re finding is they have no fear.
“They don’t look at team-sheets and say ‘oh, Walker is playing’.
“They just go ‘I want to play football’.
“Sometimes it gives you that freedom and that little more creatively because they don’t give a monkeys who they are playing against.
“We have a squad of 21 and we like to give opportunities so (the young lads) will get them (in the first team).”