YORK City boss Sam Collins believes Alex Bray can be an “electric” addition to the Bootham Crescent ranks.

The on-loan Rotherham winger won the sponsors’ man-of-the-match award during his home debut – a 0-0 draw with Chester, having made his first start at the weekend against Swindon in the FA Cup.

Bray, 23, tormented Chester right-back Dominic Smalley to the point where he had to be replaced at half-time having been lucky not to receive a second yellow card for felling the ex-Wales under-19 international just outside the penalty box.

He also troubled sub Jon Moran after the break and an impressed Collins said: “For somebody who hasn’t played too much football for a while, Alex was really good. Their player should have been sent off just before half-time because Alex was going into the penalty area.

“The ref told me he thought his first booking was worse, but I can’t see how that can be the case as that one was on the half-way line. They then took their player off, because they knew he should have been sent off.

“Alex is a really talented boy and he came recommended by a lot of people I know and trust in the game and what we’ve seen from him in his first two games for us matches their feedback. Hopefully, he can keep improving because, when he gets going, he’s electric.”

Full debutant Kennedy Digie, recruited on loan from Kidderminster, also caught the eye at centre-back, as the Minstermen kept their first National League North clean sheet since August bank-holiday Monday with Collins admitting that he even advised higher-division clubs to scout the 21-year-old defender prior to bringing him to Bootham Crescent.

“I thought Kennedy was excellent,” Collins enthused. “When we played Kidderminster at home (in September), I was so impressed with him that I spoke to a lot of clubs at higher levels and told them that they should be watching him.

“It was some debut and I hope that continues. He’s only a young kid, but there’s definitely a player there.

“He’s a strong boy, who is really comfortable in possession and I want my players to be like that. It was a really composed debut alongside Joe Davis and I was delighted with them both.”

City denied Chester the chance to move to the top of the table and also improved their own position by three places, moving up to 12th, with Collins arguing that his team deserved maximum points.

“I thought we played really well throughout the game,” he declared. “We were really solid and well-organised defensively and the players matched how we performed on Saturday at Swindon, which is what I asked for.

“The only thing that was missing was a goal and we had so many good situations in the game, but I can’t fault the lads because we were really, really good. Chester were lucky to go away with a point, so it was bit disappointing not to get a win, but there were so many positives to take and, hopefully, this can be the start of something now and we can go on a good run.”

Collins went on to suggest that some of the players currently on the squad’s fringes could now be loaned out to lower the rising squad numbers.

“There are a couple of things happening, because I can’t guarantee some players first-team football and it’s the right thing for them and the club to get them games somewhere else,” he explained.