CLARETS kid Michael Fowler has been backed to score more goals after an electric start at Radcliffe FC.

The 17-year-old Burnley youth teamer scored a hat-trick on his full debut in a 3-2 win against Prescot Cables to put Jon Macken’s side back into the play-off positions in the Evo-Stik League West.

Boro – who also beat Padiham in the Lancashire Cup on Tuesday night – head to struggling Kendal Town on Saturday. And club captain Kingsley Williams reckons his new team-mate has adapted well since coming in from the Premier League.

“Whether it’s a new signing or someone we’ve had from pre-season, we are a close-knit group, everyone gets along and we have a laugh and a joke. We make players feel welcome,” he said.

“You can see by his (Fowler’s) performance he’s slotted straight in and feels like he’s at home.”

Fowler had been called back by Burnley from a work experience loan with Padiham and sent back out for a month at Boro. And the youngster is feeling right at home after starting each of the last two games.

“Everyone backs each other up,” he said. “You do something well and you’ll get praise and the lads are together on and off the pitch.

“If you have a team spirit like that you’re bound to win games.”

Macken had mixed feelings about the midweek cup win, which came courtesy of goals from Tunde Owolabi and Raul Correia.

“At half time the lads were disappointed, really,” he said. “They wanted to increase the tempo to their level and we just couldn’t raise it. Thankfully we did after half time.

“We missed a lot of chances again, which is disappointing. We have been pushing forward and creating a lot of opportunities. We just have to keep putting the ball in there and the goals will come. The missed chances will turn into goals scored.

“We’ll reassess in training and then go into the Kendal game preparing right and pick the team we feel is capable of getting three points.”