David Jones Jr became the latest Bermuda player to feature for Ilkeston’s first team in their Evo-Stik League Northern Premier match at home to Workington at the weekend.

Jones, a left-sided midfielder, followed in the footsteps of Rai Simons, now of Sky Bet League One side Chesterfield, and Bermuda players Antwan Russell and Lejuan Simons to have played for the English non-League side.

Unfortunately for Jones, who came on as a half-time substitute for Dan Udoh, his side were defeated 3-0 by Workington who are fourth in the table, ten places ahead of Ilkeston.

Jones made an immediate impact, forcing a save from Jonny Jamieson, the Workington goalkeeper, at the near post in the 79th minute before heading wide from Dannu Gordon’s free kick late on.

The Bermuda Under-18 player joined Ilkeston at the start of the season along with striker Tevahn Tyrell, who was recommended to the Derbyshire club by Kyle Lightbourne, his former coach at Premier Division side Robin Hood.

Jones, 18, has lived in England for several years, previously playing for Newcastle Town, a non-League team in Stoke, as well as Mansfield Town’s academy.

Fellow Bermudians Jahquil Hill, a goalkeeper, and midfielder J’Nai Butterfield-Steede have featured regularly for Ilkeston’s under-21 and academy teams this season. Another Bermudian player impressing at the club is midfielder Paul Douglas who joined them several months ago.

All of the players live together in an apartment partially funded by Paul Scope, the former Bermuda assistant coach and Bermuda Hogges owner, who said he had received encouraging feedback about Jones’s debut.

“Ilkeston aren’t in danger of going down or realistically going to get in the play-offs, so I think they’ve had a look at where they are in the table and decided to give some of their academy players a chance,” Scope said.

“They have a great academy system and really embrace their youth players, so that’s only going to benefit the young Bermudians at Ilkeston.

“I’ve heard David did very well when he came on. Hopefully he will get a good run between now and the end of the season.”

Scope said he believed Jones and Tyrell both possessed the physical attributes to thrive in the English game and hopes that Hill, who is just 19, will soon feature for Ilkeston’s first team.

“The reports on David and Tevahn have been very good and they both appear physically suited to the English football,” Scope said.

“There’s no question about putting them in against ‘real men’ because they’re both strong boys with good qualities.

“Jahquill has been out on loan and there was some delay in getting his registration back but that’s getting cleared now. Maybe he will be available for the next game and at least be on the bench.”

Ilkeston, whose owner Nigel Harrop is a former Bermuda resident, are away to Kidsgrove Athletic in the Integro Doodson League Cup tomorrow.

The Evo-Stik League Northern Premier is the seventh tier of English football.