‘The penny is dropping’ – Darrell Clarke hopes to see Jack Nolan’s best

The 19-year-old has started the last two League Two games and has put in impressive performances full of creativity, guile and dangerous set-piece delivery.

Before that the winger had failed to deliver in his EFL Trophy starts and handful of league substitute appearances but with his form now on the up, Clarke is keen for him to kick on this season.

“I can’t say Nolan is unfortunate not to get chances because he didn’t do himself any favours in the summer by coming in overweight,” Clarke said.

“Then he has two opportunities in the Trophy that he doesn’t take. Then we have to work really hard to get him up to the fitness levels and better.

“I can’t turn around and say Nolan has been hard done by, which I’m sure everybody else might think that’s the case.

“What I can say is, in the here and now, Nolan has put a couple of performances in that has shown us that quality that he has.

“Everybody asks why players don’t get opportunities, there’s always a reason behind it. I don’t dislike any player.

“But you have to be professional all the time and now the penny is dropping. He’s a young lad and he’s learnt from that.

“Hopefully he takes that on board and he improves all of his fitness levels.

“He’s had an opportunity and he’s done reasonably well in the last two games. Good, keep going. He needs to keep taking those opportunities when they come along.”

Meanwhile, Josh Gordon is pleased to be back among the goals, despite his side throwing away another lead in the 1-1 draw with Morecambe.

“I’m glad to be back on the scoresheet,” he said.

“It’s a good ball by Eli. The gaffer said before the game he put me in that position to try and get in at the back post and that’s what I did. Luckily I reacted well and got the goal to get us going.

“We had a few chances and we should have really seen the game out.

“Even if it was 1-0, trying to get the clean sheet, but it’s a point and we have to progress from there.”