NCEL: Teenage strike force setting the pace at Knaresborough Town

Brad Walker stole the show with a hat-trick in just his his second appearance for the club’s first team after being promoted from the reserves with his strike partner Mitch Hamilton netting the fifth.

Byron Littlefair also got on the scoresheet for Town in the second half to complete a victory that Davey described as the best performance he has seen this season.

Despite taking home the match ball, Davey said that both Hamilton, 17, and Walker, 19, were outstanding in the game and is enjoying watching his young strike partnership blossom.

He said: “They both could have had a hat-trick between them. Brad has come in from the reserves, played two games and should have scored last week but they are both running defenders ragged.

“Brad knew that when Colin got his four match suspension we said that we could try and get someone in but he was playing so well for the reserves that it was up for him to take his chance.

“He played so well last week and if he keeps playing like this then it’s not a case of putting Colin straight back in as he will have to fight for his place back.

“We said in the changing room that we weren’t going to get many chances in the first half but Brad got the goal at such a good time and their heads went down.

“When he got his hat-trick, every player to a man surrounded him, patting him on the back. He’s such a quiet young lad but you can see that he really enjoyed it.”

Davey described the game as a ‘great performance from the whole team’ but also singled out returning goalkeeper Jack Rushworth for praise after making his first appearance for the club in 18 months.

The win means Knaresborough now have the third best away record in Division One and have outscored all of their competitors with 36 goals away from Manse Lane.

Davey is hoping Town’s superb away form continues with trips to Worsbrough Bridge Athletic and Dronfield Town in the next two weeks and confirmed he name an unchanged starting 11 on Saturday.

Davey said: “This is when we want the two games a week because it was only a matter of time before it started to click. We like going away as all our biggest wins have been away from home.

“We think we can score against anybody but the most important thing for us now is to start keeping the clean sheets.”