Davis protects young talent

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Steve Davis will make sure that teenage prospect Max Clayton doesn't suffer too much adverse physical treatment in games.

"Introducing him later on when defenders were getting tired meant his movement and his quick feet could catch them out" - Steve Davis

The eighteen-year-old was moved to the substitutes bench for the midweek triumph at Scunthorpe United after suffering heavy bruising to his ribs during the opening day loss to Notts County.

He was later sent into the action and involved in the winning goal for Luke Murphy as the visitors eventually came through 2-1 at Glanford Park.

While Clayton is tipped as the latest emerging talent at Gresty Road, Davis won't allow his longer-term development to be affected by being on the end of too much rough attention at such an early stage.

"Max is just a kid and we've got to protect him. There will be some times when he takes a bit of a battering, like he did against Notts County," he told This is Staffordshire. "He was prepared to play with heavily bruised ribs at Scunthorpe, but I thought taking him out of the firing line was the right thing to do.

"Introducing him later on when defenders were getting tired meant his movement and his quick feet could catch them out, and that's how it proved."

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