WHILE Jack Kemsley’s personal performance caught the eye in Witham Town’s clash with Heybridge Swifts last weekend, it was the team’s success that was the most important thing for the young defender.

Kemsley, who has only just turned 19, has been winning praise from Witham’s coaching staff after stepping up into the first-team in recent weeks.

And he continued to enhance a growing reputation by putting in a superb display in his full first-team debut as they drew 1-1 against a Heybridge side that had been sweeping opponents aside.

Correy Davidson’s late goal earned Town a Bostik League division north point and, following the postponement of the return fixture at Heybridge due to the winter weather on Tuesday, they can now head to AFC Sudbury with confidence on Saturday.

Kemsley knows it is about the team’s success far more than any personal glory, though, and that was what he was focused on in the aftermath of the dramatic finish to the game against Heybridge.

He said: “I was glad that my own performance was good, but I was happier with the team result and the way that we got the point.

“It gives us something to take forward now.

“For me personally, I have got the shirt and hopefully I will get to keep it, but I know there are some great defenders here and it’s a strong team that we have.

“We just have to push on and get more results now.

“Everyone wants to win every game, but our first target has to be to beat the points total of last season.

“It’s hard to say exactly what we have to aim for in the final league table, but we just have to aim to do the best that we can.”

Despite Kemsley’s own focus being on team success, his manager - Adam Flint - was quick to highlight the impact that the youngster has made since coming into the first-team squad.

“I thought Jack Kemsley was brilliant against Heybridge,” said Flint.

“He was man of the match for me 100 per cent.

“To have never played at that level and to be making his first start – he was immense.

“He won everything in there.

“Before the game, we said that we just had to trust him and hope that he didn’t get carried away.

“He was saying before how up for it he was and I just wanted him to calm down, but he did calm down and got better as the game went on.

“I said after the Grays game (that Witham lost 4-1) that I wanted leaders and for someone at such a young age, I felt Jack showed he can be a leader.

“He did that against Heybridge.”