Stevenage are set to give a debut to a young 16-year-old wonderkid - after he impressed at Potters Bar Town

Makise Evans has spent a month with the Isthmian League Premier Division side, scoring his first senior goal against Lewes, while also spending time with the first-team at Bragbury End.

And from what manager Steve Evans has seen, coupled with the reports from Scholars' boss Max Mitchell, he has no hesitation in throwing the young forward into the deep end in the League Two game at Mansfield Town.

The Boro boss said: "He is in consideration to start. 

"Potters Bar have done a really good job in educating him in men’s football and we’ve watched his progress with interest. He is one of a number of academy players we’ve had our eyes on. 

"It is important to see who is improving and progressing and Makise is one of those who has been jumping up and down with his performances and attitude. 

"He goes on merit and may start. If he doesn’t, he’ll be on the bench, and he is taking the place of a senior player so I am not doing this lightly. 

"I am doing it as he has a very bright future and he may even have a very bright present." 

A sign of his tender years is that he needed to be dropped off at the training ground, prior to training and departure for Nottinghamshire.

That allowed the boss to catch up with Makise's parents again.

Evans said: "I had the absolute privilege of speaking to his mum when he was dropped off at the training centre and that family have been very humble and dignified but they are immensely proud of him and so they should be. 

"We spoke to Makise with [Alex Revell and Paul Raynor] and we’ve told him this is just the start of his journey. 

"It’s hard enough to get into an academy these days before you go on and get a professional contract. 

"He’s too young for that but there is no age barrier at the top or bottom end if you are good enough. 

"And his performances have got him on the coach to Mansfield." 

And he gave further insight into what the Stevenage fans can expect, even if he did urge a modicum of caution.

"He’s never last picked in the training games because he scores goals, he’s got good feet and he’s strong," said the boss.

"I’m not making him out to be the next Wayne Rooney, we’re not saying that at all, but what we are saying is he is a young, really good prospect among three or four in our academy. 

"If we’d been in less of a fight for a prize, there would have been more of them around us. 

"But we are fighting for a prize so they have to be what we consider to be a first-team player. 

"Makise's performances have earned him that right."

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