SAINTS youngster Nico Lawrence has received rave reviews from Torquay United manager Gary Johnson as the defender excels on loan with the National League side.

After a productive period with the Saints B team, Lawrence headed out on loan for the first time in his young career, joining Torquay in January. And since making the move, Lawrence has started each of his side’s last three games with his performances earning praise from his manager.

“He’s got all the attributes, and I can see why Southampton think highly of him," Johnson said. "We’re helping him – (Aaron) Downes's centre-half work that he does – and the lad is proper up for learning more.

"He’s enjoying the experience of playing in the first team regularly, with pressure, with managers screaming at them at half time and at the end, because that doesn’t always happen at the Under-21s – it’s more a development – so there’s a lot more on this, and he’s coped on and off the pitch really well.

“We’re really pleased to have him. We’ve got him until the end of the season so we can rely on that situation.”

Lawrence joined Saints from Kent Southern Counties league side Glebe in February 2022 and the centre-back signed a new two-year contract at St Mary's before moving to Devon last month.

The 19-year-old suffered defeat for the first time in a Torquay shirt over the weekend as league-leaders Notts County triumphed 2-1 in a tightly contested clash. The result leaves Torqyau in the National League relegation zone with 17 games left to play.

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