Crawley Town star praised but told: You've still a lot to learn

The youngster transformed Saturday’s game at Mansfield, scoring twice in ten minutes after being introduced with Crawley 1-0 down at the break.

Watters has already scored 12 goals in all competitions, and Yems has been impressed.

“He’s started very well, Max, doing the things that we thought he would do, that’s why I’ve signed him,” Yems said.

“He’s still got a lot to learn, he’s not the finished article and still needs a lot of work but I can’t fault what he’s done – he’s been a really good kid, good to work with, a lot of positives.”

Yems was philosophical about the draw at Mansfield, in which Town were 1-0 down and 3-1 up, with Tom Dallision scoring in between Watters’ two strikes.

Yems saw positives in another point away from home and said: “We were 3-1 up. You’d have thought we might’ve seen it out but at 3-3 it’s a point, we’ll come away with a point.”

It’s been just over a year since Yems and Lee Bradbury took over at The People’s Pension Stadium and the Reds manager has enjoyed his first year with the club.

This weekend, Crawley host the reigning champions of the National League, Barrow, and Yems expects a typical League Two test.

“I expect the same as normal: a very, very difficult, hard game,” said the manager.

The Barrow game will be the Reds’ first with fans since March, and Yems can’t wait to see supporters back at the People’s Pension Stadium.

“I can’t wait to see the fans back. I hope it’s a positive effect, they’ve always been positive since we’ve been here.

“I think they’re as excited to get back as we are to see them”.

Up to 2,000 fans will attend for the first time this season and they will be hoping Crawley can rediscover the form that, until recently, saw them unbeatne at home in the league for many months.