Lewis - the Penrith Prize Guy

By Amanda Little

Last updated 15:19, Thursday, 21 August 2008

LEWIS GUY is the man to keep Doncaster Rovers in the Championship this season – if his confidence remains high.

That’s the verdict of Guy’s team-mate Richie Wellens after the Penrith-born striker struck for the second successive Saturday in Rovers’ 1-1 draw with Cardiff.

The previous week Guy hit Doncaster’s winner – their first goal in football’s second tier for 50 years – in their 1-0 opening-day win over Derby County.

His superbly-taken second came on Saturday as the Championship new-boys continued to take life at a higher level in their stride.

And Wellens believes that in 22-year-old Guy Rovers have the kind of lethal striker needed to finish off their well-crafted approach play.

That was evident in the way the former Newcastle United kid controlled Matt Mill’s 50-yard pass on his chest before firing home – with virtually his only chance in Saturday’s game.

Wellens said: “Lewis is not a quiet bloke. He is probably the noisiest at the club. But he is a confidence player. He needs that to be at his best.

“He needs time, but if he keeps working hard and developing, he can go a very long way.”

Rover boss Sean O'Driscoll is delighted to see Guy proving wrong the doubters who reckoned the former England U19 international couldn’t cut it as a top striker.

O'Driscoll said: “Ever since we've been here, we've banged on about what a good player he could be.

“People told us that he couldn't finish and he couldn't do this that or the other.

“But we see him in training every day and he's been excellent. He is only a young kid and if he can get his head together he's got a bright future.”

Guy, from Pategill, Penrith, joined Newcastle United straight from school and made his debut on their pre-season tour of Asia in 2004, partnering Shola Ameobi up front in a 1-1 draw against the Thai national team.

He signed a three-year professional contract with Newcastle in 2002 and netted 12 goals in 22 reserve team starts in his final season, but he was unable to break into the first team despite travelling with the squad for a number of UEFA Cup ties.

ALittle@cngroup.co.uk