sport

DAVEY WON'T RUSH NOBLE-LAZARUS

Davey - will nurture Noble-Lazarus.

Barnsley manager Simon Davey has pledged to nurture Football League history-maker Reuben Noble-Lazarus.

The striker, aged 15 years and 45 days, rose off the bench to become the youngest ever first-team player during his side's 3-0 defeat against Ipswich at Portman Road.

Noble-Lazarus beat a record set in 1929 by Bradford Park Avenue's Albert Geldard and equalled in 1951 by Ken Roberts of Wrexham. Both were aged 15 years and 158 days.

Davey insisted Noble-Lazarus, who is due back at school in Huddersfield in the morning, would be kept grounded.

"I was academy manager two years ago and I gave him a start in the under-18s when he was 12," he said.

"He did well when he came on. He didn't give the ball away.

"He scored a hat-trick for the youth team against Sheffield United on Saturday.

"I think if they're good enough, they're old enough. I have kept an eye on him over the last two years and have tried to integrate him as quickly as I could into the first team.

"He is a confident lad but he is still only 15. He is a talent and we need to nurture him in the right way."

Davey revealed Noble-Lazarus was too young to be paid and joked he would receive a ham sandwich and a piece of pizza for his efforts.

"He has only trained a couple of times with the first team but they have taken him under their wing," the manager continued.

"We need to look after him. He has got to be dipped in and perhaps dipped back out.

"We've arranged with his school that we can get him out for two days a week so he can train with us."

Davey bemoaned two errors by goalkeeper Heinz Muller, which gifted Ipswich two goals, and insisted the scoreline was not a fair reflection of the result.

"Heinz has been magnificent for me since he signed," said Davey. "He has never made a mistake for me. Unfortunately, he has made two errors tonight and probably cost us the game."

Ipswich boss Jim Magilton spoke of his relief at gaining three points.

"The result was far more important than the performance," he said.

"We set very high standards at this club, as do the players, and we know we've fallen a little bit short of that.

"I think the crowd reacted tremendously well towards us."

Magilton admitted his side had been fortunate to go ahead.

"Up until the goal, they were probably the better side," he said.

"They came and produced really good football. Simon Davey should take an awful lot of credit for the way his team played."

Magilton also praised the performance of goalkeeper Richard Wright, who was at fault for Crystal Palace's goal on Saturday.

"Richard Wright should be pleased with his performance," he said.

"He sets very high standards and, by this own admission, he has probably fallen a bit short of that."