BRIDGWATER Town under 18s manager Tom Sage has praised the impact of the club’s partnership with Bridgwater College, after five players from the college made the step up to Bridgwater Town U18’s and signed forms for the Somerset County Floodlight League.

The players - Keelan Gunningham, Eric Evans, Nash Eastwood, Harry Hamblin and Jason Roots, have impressed Development Centre Coaches throughout the year with their technical skills and their attitude to training which has convinced the under 18’s manager to include them within his squad for the upcoming fixtures.

Tom Sage said: “It’s great to see lots of local young players improving their key technical skills and knowledge of the game through the development centre and showing they have the ability, confidence and self-esteem to make the step up to U18’s in the Somerset Youth Premier Division.

“It’s nice for me as the manager to have the young lads knocking on the door asking to be involved, when you have players proving themselves and showing good potential and progression we know we will always have a strong flow of players each year which we can filter into the U18 squad and progress the older players from the U18’s into the reserves and first team.

“We will be working with all of the U16 players at the Development Centre to progress from year 11 onto their FE course at Bridgwater College and into the Team BC football squads”.

The players join the squad with the team currently sitting second in the Premier Division of the Somerset County Floodlight Youth League two points behind leaders Gillingham Town with two games in hand.

Goalkeeper Eric Evans has also been training with Team BC and Bridgwater Town Reserves and has been with the squad on match days.

The Development Centre runs at 6:30pm on Monday evenings at Bridgwater College.

Players are selected on a trial basis – any players wishing to find out more information or to enquire about a trial should email sport@bridgwater.ac.uk or call 01278 441322