Dartford manager Alan Dowson has revealed why teenager Marvin Herschel has been given his chance to shine.

The teenager, who impressed in pre-season, started a game for the first time against Hampton last week. Seven days, two goals and three wins later, he's one of the first names on the team sheet.

But it was Herschel’s desire to play football that persuaded Dowson to give him a chance.

“Young Marvin came in to see me on the Thursday before Hampton and said he thought he should be in the team but I told him he should go out on loan,” said Dowson.

“I thought about it on the Friday and decided then to play him against Hampton and now a week later, he’s played three games and scored two.

“He didn’t train that well but he came in and said he didn’t think he’d get in the side and wanted to go out on loan. He was the only one who has come to see me and say he should be in the team so I gave him that chance.

“I like an argument but normally with senior players. But I like the fact he’s young and got the guts to come in and say to me that he should be in the team. We haven’t got much pace in the team, we were struggling to win games and he’s something I felt we needed.

“Now it’s up to him to get himself out of the team, I can’t leave him out now. A lot of players just go by and pick up their wage packet but I like players to come in and ask why they’re not in the team so I can explain myself. I like that attitude.”

Dowson likes the confidence Herschel displays and he is keen not to overcomplicate matters. He wants him to play with the freedom to express himself.

“Marvin’s a very confident boy, he’s louder than Sam Odaudu, who comes in and doesn’t say a word,” added Dowson.

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“We can’t coach Marvin at the minute. I had it with Jamal Lowe (who went to Portsmouth and Bournemouth). When they’ve got talent like that, it’s raw talent, and how far they can go you don’t know.

“Yes, you’ve got to track back a bit but he’s got that uncanny thing of running at people and you don’t want to coach that out of the lad, you want to keep that in him. He needs to learn the game, get behind the ball a bit more but apart from that I just want him to be a free spirit.”