Accrington Stanley manager John Doolan was clearly pleased with Everton loanee Isaac Heath after his role in the match-winner at Tranmere Rovers this week
Isaac Heath of Accrington Stanley, on loan from Everton, in action during his side's Sky Bet League 2 match with Walsall at the Banks's Stadium. Photo by Stuart Leggett/MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Isaac Heath of Accrington Stanley, on loan from Everton, in action during his side's Sky Bet League 2 match with Walsall at the Banks's Stadium. Photo by Stuart Leggett/MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images
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Everton academy winger Isaac Heath has received more plaudits as he continues to impress in his first taste of senior football.
The 21-year-old provided the cross for Paddy Madden’s match-winning goal for Accrington Stanley at Tranmere Rovers on Tuesday night.
It was his fourth assist of a season in which he has also scored four goals while cementing himself as a regular in the first XI at the Wham Stadium.
Heath showed pace and composure for the second-half goal, latching onto a long ball and initially bursting past a defender. When he reached the byline he held up play before creating the opportunity to deliver the ball and find Madden, who had found a pocket of space in the box.
The goal echoed the gameplan of manager John Doolan, who offered serious words of praise for Heath after the win at Prenton Park.
He said: “We knew we’d hurt them in the wide areas. We knew that, we’d seen - we came on Saturday to watch them. We knew we could hurt them there but the lads have got to do it, the individual players have got to do it. As you just touched on with Isaac Heath there, he’s got that magic about him, he can beat [his defender] and go both ways. He can beat his man one-on-one.
“I said to Paddy at the end, I just wanted him to be there when he put that pinpoint cross in and Paddy had a great header.”
Heath, who was named Everton Under-21s’ player of the year last season, has repeatedly been praised by Doolan through his first season in senior football. It comes after he joined the Everton first team for much of pre-season, including on the club’s three-game tour of the United States and in the draw at Accrington - when Heath came off the bench to win a penalty.
Speaking of the young talent, who attracted interest from clubs hoping to sign him on a permanent deal in January, Doolan said in December: “Isaac Heath is just an unbelievable talent. To see what teams are doing to him now, doubling up, trebling up… He’s getting asked loads of questions, he’s figuring it out himself, he’s got answers. He’s scoring goals and assisting. He’s a constant threat and he’s only going to get better.”