Middlesbrough FC's Calum Kavanagh makes positive impression on Harrogate Town debut

The highly-rated 18-year-old striker joined the Sulphurites on loan on Friday and came off the substitutes' bench after 71 minutes of Saturday's League Two clash with Stevenage.

The circumstances of his arrival onto the field of play were hardly ideal, with the visitors trailing by two goals in a game they went on to lose by a 3-0 scoreline.

Up until that point, Kavanagh has played all of his football at age-group level where he has been in prolific form for Boro's under-18s and under-23s, while also representing Republic of Ireland's under-17s.

And, although he was unable to help Harrogate get back into the contest during the short window afforded to him, he looked bright and made a decent impression on new manager Simon Weaver.

"I think he's showed personality straight away," the Town boss said of his newest recruit's cameo.

"He was running in behind, he got his body in, he's got good physique for someone so young.

"He's going to have a rawness about him. As I said in the changing room, yes he could have identified the man [Jack Diamond] and played him in, executed the pass to set him free, but I'll put up with that because there's that edge to him that runs 100 mph, chases everything down.

"He can make a difference for us by doing that. That's how Jack Muldoon has been successful for this club for so long."

Kavanagh will be hoping to get another opportunity to impress when 14th-placed Town entertain in-form Mansfield on Tuesday evening (7.45pm).