BURY AFC have hit the ground running in the NWCL Premier Division after winning their opening two games with Lewis Gilboy scoring four goals.

The young striker scored a hat-trick in Tuesday’s 5-3 win at Padiham while he also netted the only goal of the game in the season opener against Litherland REMYCA on Saturday.

And ahead of AFC’s first-ever FA Cup tie, when they travel to Hallam on Sunday for the extra preliminary round clash, manager Andy Welsh has warned rivals that Gilboy is still a ‘work in progress’.

The 22-year-old scored scored 13 times last season to help Bury win the First Division North title.

And he has quickly found his goal-scoring touch this term - although Welsh was quick to point out that his ‘supporting cast’ have played their part.

“Lewis is still a work in progress for us but he is so direct and is a joy to work with because he wants to be here at the club,” Welsh told the club’s YouTube channel.

“He is not one who has decided he has had one season and wants to move on. He wants to be here working as hard as he can and I know he loves the club as well and I thought his performance, not just on Saturday, but tonight shows that.

“It is not just him, it’s the support act behind him, Matty Williams giving him the ball, Anton (Smith), Brad (Sixsmith), Adam McWilliam.”

Welsh admitted he was disappointed with the goals his side conceded at Padiham but said it was a resilient performance.

“I think the players are a little bit disappointment because of the goals we have conceded but the performance they put in was exactly what we wanted, it was full of resilience,” he said.

“But once again, proud of the players, proud of the football club because everyone has come out and supported them tonight, we have brought a really big crowd here and I think we have done really, really well.”

Welsh is now looking forward to Sunday’s trip to face the Northern Counties East League Premier Division outfit as Bury AFC prepare to make their FA Cup debut.

“Really excited, just said to the lads, it’s another chance to make history in our first ever FA Cup game,” he said. “It will be a really tough game over at Hallam, they won their league last season, they get big crowds as well so I know it will be a tough test for us.

“But we have to make sure we recover well and get the blue and white army over there in their droves.”