MARK Bentley feels Freddy Eastwood’s loan experience with Canvey Island will prove valuable in the youngster’s career.

Eastwood joined on loan from Southend United last month and has impressed Bentley, who played alongside the 18-year-old’s father Freddy during their playing days at Roots Hall.

And Bentley admits he continues to see similarities between the two Eastwoods every time he sees the teenager in a Gulls shirt.

“Freddy Eastwood is a proper player and he is going to be like his dad,” said Canvey boss Bentley.

“I can see it in the way he moves and strikes the ball - that’s his dad all over.

“He is 18 years old and if we can get him as many games as possible at this level, it will do him the world of good.

“He is getting kicked and jumping back up, which is good to see.”

Canvey will make the short trip to Grays Athletic for an Essex Senior Cup fourth round tie tonight.

The Gulls head into the clash with their Isthmian North rivals having recorded an eye-catching 3-2 win over Heybridge Swifts at the weekend.

With Mike Finneran - the former Grays central defender - suspended following his red card in the heavy defeat to Histon seven days earlier, Bentley opted to start with a back four of Sam Delieu, Alex Stephenson, James White and Dan Humphreys.

And Bentley feels the Gulls will progress to the quarter-finals of the Essex Senior Cup if the back four perform in similar fashion.

“James White looked like a centre-half and Alex Stephenson, alongside him, was immense,” added Bentley.

“Sam Delieu is not really a full-back but did ever so well in the Isthmian League Cup win at Tilbury last Tuesday.

“He never lets me down, so fair play to him.

“Dan Humphreys has definitely got a massive future in the game.

“He does very well for me since coming into the team.”

Bentley’s first job in management came at Grays, with him taking over as player-manager in 2015 and enjoying a year-long spell at the helm.

But Bentley is eager to knock his former club out of the Essex Senior Cup by emerging victorious at Parkside.

Bentley admitted: “We are building momentum and we have got two wins on the bounce, which we hadn’t done for a while.

“We want to go to Grays with the strongest squad possible because we want to do well in the Essex Senior Cup.

“It’s a good opportunity for us but there is no pressure on us.”