Maidstone will tread carefully with promising academy striker Nathan Jeche.

The 17-year-old made the bench in the National League for the first time when he was named among the substitutes at Yeovil on Saturday.

He didn’t get on but it’s another step in the right direction for the youngster, who made his first-team debut in a Kent Senior Cup tie at Corinthian last November.

Jeche scored a hat-trick in Maidstone’s FA Youth Cup win over Edgeware & Kingsbury this season and is highly thought of at the Gallagher Stadium.

Stones caretaker boss George Elokobi sees potential in the teenager but the club must manage his workload.

“Nathan is a humble young man,” said Elokobi.

“He’s got his feet on the ground and it’s not just myself, there’s also Billy Jones and Brad Brooker at the academy to manage him right and make sure we don’t burn him out.

“We’re always in close communication with the academy to make sure Nathan is training right, that his training loads are right and his minutes on the pitch when he plays for the under-23s are right.

“He went out on loan and he’s played a little bit of football but it’s up to us to ensure we don’t burn him out.

“It was a reward for him to be on the bench. It’s good for him to come into an environment like this and suck it all in because it’s part of the education.

“It’s very, very important for him to come here, soak up the atmosphere and watch how the regular first-team players are doing it and then who knows?

“We’ve got no hesitation, if we needed another body on the pitch, to bring him on because he’s been heavily present in training.

“But he’s a young player, we have to protect him and make sure we introduce him into senior football through the right channels.”

How far Jeche can go comes down to the player and also the coaching staff at Maidstone.

He’s got good people around him and can only learn from Elokobi.

Asked about his career prospects, the Stones caretaker boss said: “It’s up to Nathan and also it’s up to us as his mentors, as his coaches, to make sure we keep helping him out in training.

“We have to put on training sessions that will develop the technical, tactical, psychological, physical and social aspects in his game, to make sure we keep building all of those and bring them together.”

Jeche is the second academy striker to break into the first-team squad this season.

In October, Josh Arnold made his debut as a second-half substitute on live TV in Maidstone’s 3-1 defeat at Boreham Wood.

He hasn’t featured since but is another player well-known to Elokobi.

“We can’t bring every single player on to the first team but at the time when we need him, we get him,” said Elokobi.

“Let’s not forget, they are in the academy for the education first.

“If the education side is lacking, then we have to hold on with the reward on the football side of it. You have to do your education first and you combine it. It has to go hand in hand.

“With Josh, we have to be in close communication with the head of the academy, Billy Jones, and also the tutor and coach, Brad Brooker.”