Naylor impresses on Stags debut

DAVID Holdsworth said Tom Naylor's debut performance for Mansfield Town last night showed why he had been signed up on a two-year contract.

The Stags beat Altrincham 2-0 with goals in each half from Scott Garner and Nathan Arnold.

But it was the name of the 17-year-old youngster which was on everyone's lips after a mature display that belied his years.

Manager Holdsworth is excited because he knows the central defender will only get better.

"Tom was outstanding. What a debut. He was composed and organised," he said.

"He will learn more. He has learned about the game in the academy, but this is men's football.

"We will get him on a weights programme this summer because at the moment he has got spaghetti arms.

"I think he will get better and better after what was a great start. People saw why I have given him the length of contract I have."

Holdsworth was just as content with the Mansfield performance in which they could have scored more than the two goals.

He felt the Stags had shown the creativity he is striving to introduce on a regular basis.

He said: "We played some great football. I like to win but we had a style about us and played some good two-touch football which I have been asking for.

"There is always the opportunity in these games to lower standards, where there is nothing to play for, but I was very pleased.

"A lot of teams, not just in this league but those above, can lose their sense of direction but there are no nothing games to me and that showed in this one.

"We had six shots on goal in the first 27 minutes and their goalkeeper had a good game, pulling off two or three great saves.

"I'm not being disrespectful to Altrincham but the scoreline flattered them a bit."