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Interview: Yeovil Town manager Russell Slade

Yeovil manager Russell Slade has paid tribute to left-back Nathan Smith for making the step up from non-league.

The 20-year-old joined Yeovil after a successful trial from Ryman League side Potters Bar Town and played 90 minutes against Bristol Rovers on Saturday.

"He can be pleased with that, as long as he goes away and doesn't think he's made it," Slade told BBC Somerset after the 0-0 draw.

"If he builds on that and gets better then he's going to be a good prospect."

Slade added: "You worry, having played at the level he's played at, that fitness may be a problem.

"But he did some promising things going forward. I think he made his first mistake in about the 88th minute."

He's not been mollycoddled, he's not been in a comfort zone like some of these academy players have in the past Yeovil boss Russell Slade

Former Yeovil player Steve Browne, now managing Potters Bar Town, is responsible for putting the Glovers in touch with Smith.

"Steve rang me and said 'I've got three or four boys who might be useful, would you have a look?'," said Slade. "So I popped all four in the reserves, we gave them all two games and Nathan seemed to stand out."

The Glovers' manager feels that Yeovil have reaped the reward for taking a risk on a player from the lower levels of the non-League pyramid who had been working as a computer analyst.

"With all due respect, nobody will go to Potters Bar every week and try to bring somebody out of Potters Bar into the professional game," said Slade.

Owusu is backing Smith to make the step up from non-league football (Getty)

"He's got a tremendous attitude, he wants it, he's worked hard to get where he is and he's an intelligent boy.

"He's not been mollycoddled, he's not been in a comfort zone like some of these academy players have in the past - he's gone out there and he's performed to a fantastic level."

Smith also impressed team-mate Lloyd Owusu, who started out in non-league football himself at Slough Town.

"He's raw, he just wants to get nurtured, he just wants to learn and fair play to him, he's come here on trial and worked his socks off in all the reserve games," said Owusu.

"I believe he's going to be a good investment for the club - he's a young guy, he's quick, he's got a good left foot and a good throw on him.

"If we keep coaching him, who knows where he could end up in the next few years."