Former scholars round-up (07/10/21)

In a month which saw Doncaster Rovers twice hammered 6-0, it's fair to say there are numerous issues at the Keepmoat Stadium right now.

Shipping goals at one end has been equally as problematic as scoring them at the other, yet three strikers who started out in the youth ranks at DRFC have been in eye-catching form for their respective teams and bagging goals for fun.

Jack McKay is bagging for fun at Curzon Ashton (Photo: Biddle Of Nowhere Photography).

To begin with, Jack McKay is shining at Curzon Ashton - a team who are emerging as unlikely promotion contenders from the National League North after six straight wins (and counting!). McKay joined 'Nash earlier this summer and hit two goals in a hammering of Stockton Town in the FA Cup Second Qualifying Round prior to scoring what turned out to be the winner against Bradord Park Avenue. 

The 24-year-old then went head-to-head with a familiar face in old team-mate Harry Middleton last weekend as Curzon triumphed 4-0 over Cleethorpes Town to progress further in the FA Cup. They now face Chesterfield (ironically McKay's former club) in the Fourth Qualifying Round.

Brad Grayson has also discovered a new lease of life since joining Gainsborough Trinity from Northern Premier League rivals Grantham Town. The 28-year-old, who made his only appearance for Rovers' first team in a Carling Cup defeat to Accrington Stanley in August 2010, was on target on his debut versus Morpeth Town before netting against Stalybridge Celtic and then grabbing another goal as the Holy Blues won away at Lancaster City last time out.

Meanwhile, Jack Watson - released by Rovers at the end of the pandemic-affected 2019/20 season, is developing a reputation for being one of the deadliest strikers at NCEL (Division One) level - partly thanks to scoring successive hat-tricks for Rossington Main.

The 19-year-old first claimed the matchball in a 4-0 win over Shirebrook Town and followed that impressive feat up with three more strikes in a 5-1 demolition of Hall Road Rangers just seven days later. He already has 12 goals to his name - putting him just one goal behind the current top scorer in the entire division.

Under Ben Hunter, Rozzo are very much amongst the early-season front-runners and Kian Johnson, Conner Williamson, Cameron Barnett (who has begun his rehab from a knee injury) and ex-academy players Ryan Wharton and Jordan Buckham have all featured for them so far this term.

They'll be hoping for another fruitful win when they entertain hapless FC Humber United (who've somehow already conceded 61 goals!), this weekend at Oxford Street.

The Oxford Street crowd have enjoyed Jack Watson's exploits this term.

Elsewhere, another ex-scholar who deserves many plaudits for his recent displays is Charlie Bell.

Potentially the most intelligent YT to ever set foot through the gates at Cantley Park, the tenacious right-back has been the stand-out performer at Staveley Miners Welfare and has claimed five assists in his past three appearances. If that isn't noteworthy enough, he also scored his first goal for the Trojans (described as a 'screamer' on the club's Twitter feed) against Silsden last time out.

Guaranteed to be energetic, full-blooded and committed, it's perhaps no surprise that he's already attracted the attention of clubs from a higher level and it's a pleasure to see him thriving in his new surroundings.

Alongside him at Staveley, Declan Howe has contributed six goals to date - the most recent of which was in an eventual defeat at home to Barton Town in the FA Vase. Myron Gibbons also struck in the Trojans' 4-0 win at Knaresborough Town; Rieves Boocock and Matt Parkin have largely been in and out of the line-up in recent weeks, whilst Cameron Foulkes has been absent from the matchday squad for the past few games.

Current youth team 'keeper Luke Chadwick also made two appearances for Staveley during a loan spell with them in September. His debut came in a narrow defeat to Goole (where a certain Tyler Walker appeared in the hosts' team) before he recorded a clean-sheet seven days later in the aforementioned success in North Yorkshire.

Flying at Staveley: Charlie Bell.

Scott Brown is also enjoying a record-breaking cup run with Pontefract Collieries who are now just one more win away from reaching the FA Cup First Round for the first ever time. Ponte beat Barnoldswick Town and Squires Gate, before hammering Handsworth last time out, to set up a huge Fourth Qualifying Round tie at home to National League outfit FC Halifax Town - which will almost certainly be a sell-out. Another victory would probably be considered as the greatest in Ponte's history!

Over at Maltby Main, Morgan James undoubtedly put a big smile on the face of his chairman when he converted the winning penalty in a shoot-out against Glasshoughton Welfare in the FA Vase First Qualifying Round which set up a lucrative tie against newly-formed AFC Bury.

Infront of a bumper crowd of 387 at Muglet Lane, that game also went to spot-kicks though it ended with a different outcome as the Shakers eventually progressed.

Meanwhile, a handful of other former scholars have also found the back of the net recently.

Along with Handsworth in the NCEL (Premier Division), Owan Derrett has been registered to play for Chesterfield’s U23s and he netted for them in a 9-3 against Staveley’s U23s. His old team-mate, Lewis Cunningham, hasn’t yet made his senior debut for York City but he scored for the Minstermen’s U19s (managed by Tim Ryan) in a 1-1 draw at Stockport County.  

Alex Peterson was also on target for Belper Town in wins over Cambridge City and Soham Town Rangers; Reece Fielding grabbed a goal in Stocksbridge Park Steels’ defeat to Shildon; Jack Muldoon scored for Harrogate Town in a 2-2 draw with Newport County, and the technically-brilliant Will McGowan equalised for South Shields against Ashton United in a game which finished 1-1.

Some lads have also been on the move with Max Jemson signing for United Counties League (Premier Division) outfit Sleaford Town and Aron Gordon leaving Haringey Borough to join two-time FA Trophy winners Grays Athletic - for whom he picked up the ‘Man Of The Match’ award last time out against Felixstowe & Walton United.

Aron Gordon put in a great performance... then fell asleep during the post-match presentation!
(Photo: Grays Athletic FC).

In other news: 

- Harry Burgoyne, after his bust-up with Gillingham’s assistant manager Paul Raynor, was charged by the FA for his actions but no other news has been forthcoming. 

- Danny Amos made his debut for Port Vale in a 1-0 victory over Rochdale in the Papa John's Trophy earlier this week.

- Will Longbottom recently qualified as a Personal Trainer and has made a number of appearances for Farsley Celtic but is still awaiting his first goal for the club. 

- Billy Whitehouse and Mitchell Lund were re-united as Chorley drew 1-1 with Bradford Park Avenue in the National League North last weekend.

Danny Amos in the pouring rain on his debut for Port Vale (Photo: Port Vale FC).

Finding out about those ex-scholars who are nowadays playing abroad isn’t always the easiest of tasks because information is often intermittent but there are a handful of other lads enjoying life in other parts of the world.

Both Lewis Scattergood and James Morris have been in excellent form for their respective university teams and claimed crucial goals recently.

Scattergood struck for Stetson University as they beat Jacksonville, 1-0, last Saturday, whilst Morris bagged twice and claimed an assist a day later in Seattle Redhawks' 4-0 hammering of Dixie State Trailblazers. The 22-year-old also bagged a dramatic 93rd minute winner versus Dartmouth (probably a bit different from the one in Devon) in September, along with scoring against UC Davis Aggies in August.

Elsewhere in America, Josh Clemitson has fully recovered from the injury which disrupted his 2020/21 season and appeared for Aquinas College as they won 3-0 against Lawrence Technological College only yesterday. Junior Smith has also settled in well at Eastern Florida State College and is nearing a return from an injury which has kept him out of action to date.

On other parts of the globe, Nathan Dimou is still down under with Australian outfit Aelaide Comets and Valentino Sielis is a permanent fixture in defence for Busan IPark who compete in the South Korean Second Division.

Lewis Scattergood enjoying his football in the USA (Photo: Stetson University).

Finally, a few youth team graduates still on the books at Doncaster Rovers have recently been gaining experience out on loan.

Ben Blythe's debut for Farsley Celtic came in a defeat to Alfreton Town in the National League North; Lirak Hasani scored once and featured sporadically during a brief stint at Matlock Town (who are currently top of the Northern Premier League (Premier Division); Liam Ravenhill has gone straight into the xi and featured regularly for Mickleover and Ben Bottomley kept goal a handful of times for Frickley Athletic - the last of which was against Marske United.

The next round-up will be published at the start of next month. In the meantime, feel free to click on the following links if you've missed any previous articles on former DRFC scholars which features dozens more names: September | August | July |.