Matt Haworth is one of a number of players from lower levels who have been handed the opportunity to impress on the Pitching In Southern League Division One Central stage by MK Irish this season.
The powerful young centre back already has over 100 senior games under his belt having skippered the MK College team in the Spartan South Midlands League over the past three years, scooping the Players’ Player of the Season accolade last term as the team finished fourth in Division Two (Step 7).
He played his part as MK Irish secured their first victory of the season on Saturday at the fifth attempt as they came home from AFC Dunstable with a 2-1 success.
“Getting our first win of the season was an amazing feeling,” Haworth told us. “It wasn’t the easiest of games to go there, but we deserved to bring home the three points.
“It was an excellent performance, especially in the first half where we stood strong and it gave us a platform to go on and see the game out in the second half.
“As a back four, I was pleased with how we limited the chances that our opponents had. We’ve worked hard since the start of the season and now we’re starting to see the benefits of this.
“Life at this level is a totally new experience for me having come up from Step 7 last season. I feel that I am adapting well, so too have some of the other lads who are playing at this level for the first time, and our performance levels as a group have been improving all of the time.
“We’ve definitely got the quality here and now we’re off the mark in terms of points on the board, hopefully there will be more to follow.
“Our focus is fixed on kicking on from here; personally I want to establish myself in the team and help us keep clean sheets. We can definitely survive in this League and take things on from there.”
It’s a break from League business on Saturday as they head to Grays Athletic in the Isuzu FA Trophy first round qualifying.
IMAGE: MK Irish FC
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