Non-league previews: Boss Gill full of praise for teenage Wolves loanee and his impressive Darlaston Town side

The 18-year-old defender helped the Citizens to a win on penalties over Hednesford Town midweek in the Walsall Senior Cup quarter finals, and netted their equaliser to send the game to a shoot out.

His father and Manchester City goalkeeper, Scott, who racked up more than 100 appearances for West Brom, watched from the sidelines, and Darlaston boss Gill applauded the youngster's performance.

“We had a young centre half in Hayden Carson make their debut against Hednesford who was playing his first ever senior game, and he played like he had a seasoned non-league mentality, he was unreal," said Gill on the teenager who is on loan at Darlaston until the end of this season.

“We have made sure we sign good lads, and we do get the rewards. 

“It was a great performance and a good occasion. There was obviously a little bit of extra motivation having Hednesford come to town because of their resources.

“The lads never stop amazing me, they deserve all the credit, and you keep thinking ‘that could be the best they can do’ and then they go and do something else.

“I thought they were fantastic.”

As well as their cup success, Darlaston continue to impress during their first season at step four non-league football.

They currently sit eighth in the Northern One Midlands, seven points adrift of the play-offs, but with games-in-hand on those above.

Ahead of hosting Loughborough Students tomorrow, Gill said: “Because we have had a couple of games called off, it has allowed me to reset my thinking and strategies for the second half of the season.

“We just have to keep performing, if we do the points come. Our only concentration is to do that.

“We need around 11 wins for the play-offs, and it’s crazy with 19 games to go that we can achieve that, and with around two more wins we will be safe which is ridiculous when you look at our resources.

“I don’t know anybody else who has done what we have with the resources that we have, it is a phenomenal effort from the lads. They are incredible and deserve a lot more praise than they get, and I am very proud.”

Meanwhile, Sporting Khalsa head to Rugby Town while Lye Town go to Grantham Town.

In the Northern One West, Chasetown visit Wythenshawe Town while Hednesford Town entertain Avro. The South Staffordshire sides are level on 42 points and both battling it out for a play-off spot. 

And, strugglers Stafford Rangers travel to Widnes as the search for their new manager continues.