'His ceiling is so high': Irish League teenager tipped for big move after starring in Premiership win

The 18-year-old is spending the season on loan at Limavady from Coleraine and starred in Saturday’s 2-1 Premiership victory over Crusaders as the Roesiders collected their first points of the campaign.

It was Gaston’s magical run and delivery which provided the assist for Philip Lowry’s opener, while he should have finished off a sensational solo effort after weaving past a number of defenders before sending a shot straight at Shea Callister.

Gaston, who is the nephew of former Northern Ireland international Rory Hamill, made his Coleraine debut aged 15 and has previously attracted attention from England with Hull City reportedly submitting a six-figure offer for his services in 2024.

He scored his first Premiership goal in last month’s defeat to Carrick Rangers and has started in four of Limavady’s five league matches to date.

Gaston recovered from crashing into advertising hoardings while providing his assist on Saturday and Owens believes the highly-rated attacker can take his game to another level.

"I thought he was absolutely outstanding for a boy at 18,” said Owens. "I don't know how he doesn't score that one, he beats three or four men – that would have got some amount of hits, but that's the quality he has.

"I've just heard he's lifted his mate last night and he's come into today's game with a sore back! Alfie's just Alfie, I wouldn't want him to change.

"He's a fantastic player.

"I think there was a stat I seen on one of the Twitter accounts that he's one of the youngest in the league to be playing week in, week out at 18.

"I genuinely mean his ceiling is so high, I just keep battering that wee last bit.

"He doesn't score enough goals, he doesn't have enough assists, but he makes a massive, massive impact for us.

"If he can just final that last wee bit, I've no doubt he could easily be the next boy making a move across the water.”

Limavady are plying their trade in Northern Ireland’s top-flight for the first time since 2008 and started the campaign with four consecutive losses.

However, Owens insists he was never concerned about their tough run as Limavady adapt to life in the Premiership.

"I've got a new member of staff here who works a lot in psychology, he's brilliant,” added Owens. “He made a brilliant statement to me last week – ‘we're trying to fly a plane while we build it’.

"We've got a new pitch, we've got new staff, there's been a lot of turnover of staff, a lot of turnover of players.

"I think we're a little bit different than the Bangor’s in the previous years.

"I genuinely feel we'll improve as the season goes on with the young players we have and getting used to the new pitch.

"The bottom line is all top teams are coming to our venue and enjoying playing on our pitch just as much as we are.

“I do feel we can grow. There was no change of plan, there's no big, ‘we need to scrap the tactics and do something else’.

"It was literally just keep instilling that wee bit of belief.

"First goals are massive. When we got that today, we seen a different side of us. Hopefully we can keep going now.”