MALACHI Napa knows the hard work starts now after making his senior debut for Oxford United this week.
The 18-year-old played the final 25 minutes of the Checkatrade Trophy tie at Gillingham, providing the assist for Alex Mowatt to seal a 2-1 win.
It was a special moment for the winger, whose father and younger brother were in the crowd at Priestfield, but Napa has vowed to keep his feet on the ground.
He said: “I get spoken to by a lot of the players and I don’t get too carried away.
“I’ve just got to keep working hard and hopefully I get more chances – consistency is key.”
He added: “When football is your job, that’s the best thing.”
“Just being able to come on the pitch as a professional is just the same for me as when I was younger.”
Napa also paid tribute to Hampton & Richmond Borough, where he was on loan this season, especially manager Alan Dowson and one of his coaches, who is better known behind the microphone at Sky Sports.
He said: “It helped build my confidence tactically.
“The gaffer was very good and also Martin Tyler – I didn’t recognise him, but I knew the voice.
“They guided me, letting me see things in different ways.”
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