Nantwich Town’s new teenage star Elliot Osborne has been praised by boss Phil Parkinson.
Osborne changed the game for the Dabbers when he came on in their defeat away at Barwell.
The 18-year-old (pictured) was introduced in the 56th minute for Kyle Blake with Nantwich 3-0 down.
Parkinson said: “The big turning point was the young lad I brought in from Newcastle Town (Elliot Osborne).
“He really decided he wanted to grab the game by the scruff of the neck.
“He wanted to get on the ball. He wanted to pass it, he was mobile and that is why I brought him to the club.
“He is creative with it as well and maybe I should have been braver to chuck him on earlier or even at the start.
“ But I thought he was the real turning point for us because he got the likes of Nicky [Platt] and Sean [Cooke] on the ball and they are going to hurt teams as well so he has given me a lot to think about this week.”
Parkinson also praised Matty Kosylo, who has scored three goals in the last seven days.
“He was a constant threat, a thorn in the side of the opposition.
“He is always looking to take someone on and commit a player, he will be positive and he got again another fantastic strike and what a goal the second one was.”
It was Nantwich’s poor first half display on Saturday that Parkinson will be looking to change.
“First half play was nowhere near the performance levels I set for the players.
“Even though the likes of Mat Bailey wasn’t available. Cliff Moyo is still not quite there. So we were short at the back.
“They weren’t passing it around, they just out battled us.
“But it’s soul destroying because I send them out with the message – don’t get beat by hard work and in the first half that is what we did.
“Our lads can compete, but they decided not to do it for the first half and it gives you an uphill mountain to climb when the score was what it was in the first half.”
Ben Harrison was forced off after clashing heads with team-mate Mark Jones.
“He took a blow to the head and straight away it cause a bit of a lump. He said he felt sick.
“As much as I want to keep Ben on the pitch we have got to look after players as well because that is one of the reasons why he chose to stay at the club, when other clubs were coming in for him.
“ There is no way I am going to take a risk on somebody who has a lump on their head or slight concussion.”
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