Sheppey United youth forward Davey Johnson handed trial by Leyton Orient under-18s and a possible match against Arsenal after loan debut at Welling Town in the Southern Counties East league

Sheppey United youth striker Davey Johnson has earned a trial with a Football League club after impressing in his first senior men’s football match.

Johnson, 16, has been invited to train with Leyton Orient’s scholarship team this week and is set to play in an under-17 game against Arsenal’s youth team tomorrow (Tuesday).

Johnson was picked out straight away as a standout player for Sheppey under-23s by recently-appointed director of football Matt Longhurst, who was keen to get the forward playing for a senior side.

Ten days ago he came off the bench for Southern Counties East Premier Division side Welling Town, who he had joined on loan, and made an immediate impact by setting up a goal. Longhurst had contacts at Leyton Orient and made sure someone from the club’s youth department was there to watch.

He said: “I picked him out playing for our under-23s and after just 10 minutes I was like ‘he has got something this kid.’

“Kevin (Oakes, the Welling Town manager) was asking for a forward and I said, ‘take this kid, he is good enough to play for you. He went there, had never met anyone, came off the bench and got an assist.

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“I have a good relationship with Leyton Orient from my time at Erith & Belvedere and I said they needed to have a look at him. He’s a big strong and powerful boy, really talented.

“They watched the game and straight after phoned me and asked ‘when can we get him in!?’

Johnson was due to train with Orient’s under-18s today (Monday) ahead of a match tomorrow.

Longhurst said: “There is a pathway here at Sheppey and it will be interesting to see how he