RENE Gilmartin played his first full match in a Watford shirt in last night's (Tuesday) 2-0 win over Stevenage and Hornets manager Malky Mackay praised his new 'keeper on his clean sheet after the match.

"Rene needed to play 90 minutes with the team" explained the Watford boss.

"Scott Loach has had the games so far and Rene needed a game, so why not play him?

"It was the ideal opportunity with Scott coming off a Saturday game and so it was Rene's chance to play and get comfortably behind the boys."

The Irishman looked commanding and confident between the sticks, especially in the air, his 6 5" height making his work look almost effortless. The former Walsall goalie also made some great stops on the ground.

"I thought he made a couple of exceptional saves towards the end of the game" continued Malky.

"His distribution and general play is good as well - and you saw that against Stevenage. That's why he was a target for us.

"He's young, ambitious and hungry and he's a great trainer.

"He's a good personality as well. We knew that he would come in and benefit from Alec Chamberlain's goalkeeper coaching and to have Scott, an England Uner-21 international, to work with and to pick up things from him.

"He's a boy who wants to learn."

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