Handing teenager Josh Chambers his Gillingham debut on Saturday said all that was needed about how much manager Neil Harris rates the youth player.

Chambers, 18, was thrown in to the mix at Doncaster with 15 minutes left. The Gills were hanging onto a 1-0 lead in a crucial match at the wrong end of League 1.

Harris has only seen him play in one other game against a men’s team, when the Gills played Margate in a Kent Senior Cup match, but he had enough confidence to introduce him off the bench at the weekend.

The suspension of Daniel Phillips, along with injuries to others, gave Harris the chance to give the youngster a run-out.

Harris said: “He has trained with us since I got to the club. He has attributes that I like, a lot to learn in the game, he hadn’t trained with the first team, ever, since I turned up and we have to give him a lot of information quickly.

“I went with him because I trusted him in that deeper role with his ball retention and his desire to work, he got us at the pitch at important times.

“It was a big call. David Tutonda coming on for Ryan Jackson was probably an obvious one. Chambo was the only delicate decision to make from the subs, it was a big call and I am pleased he got his debut and played so well to get us over the line.

“He (usually) plays slightly higher up the pitch, so lots to learn as a midfielder. Young midfielders can struggle physically sometimes and Josh is a slight lad.

“I am not going to get carried away and praise him too much because I have seen him in training and seen him against Margate in the Kent senior Cup last Tuesday, that was the first time he had played against men, so to then play against Doncaster in such an important, aggressive game of football, not as in physical but as in the mentality of the game, it was a great learning curve for him.

“I have said all along when I took over, 'if they are good enough they will get an opportunity', however that opportunity comes and when it does, they have to take it.”

Chambers was the 31st player to play for the Gills this season and looks likely to be in the squad for tonight's game against Charlton.