City boss believes two-goal performance will help new-boy Jerome Walker

ST ALBANS City boss David Howell believes Jerome Walker’s brace against FC Gabala on Sunday will do the striker the world of good.

The pacy young forward scored both of City’s goals against their Azerbaijani opponents, albeit with a large slice of fortune for the second, and Howell was delighted to see his summer signing showing the Saints’ fans what he is capable of producing.

“He was very green when I first took him under my wing but he’s now showing what he’s capable of,” Howell told the Herts Advertiser.

“That only gives him confidence and his teammates confidence in him as well and that was one of the positives that came out of today.

“Jerome is a very, very likeable person, he’s a player that works hard and listens. He’s as brave as a lion and sometimes his bravery can be a little bit akin to foolish.”

Howell felt Sunday’s game provided his players with an excellent workout against a technically good Gabala side who passed the football around the park well. The new City boss had hoped to get his players more game time as they build towards the opening day of the season but admitted that the hot conditions forced him into changes earlier than he had planned to.

“I made up my mind again to try and get the lads that started the game past half time, to maybe go to the hour mark...” he said.

“Unfortunately it was a freak day today and it was very hot and very tiring and very hard for the players. FC Gabala moved the ball about so it was a good workout for the players and really 45 minutes was probably the equivalent to an hour that we would play against anyone else.

“For me it was a good workout for the players and there were some pluses and again some negatives but I’m a person that’s going to work on the pluses and look to improve the side and strengthen the side.”