FOREST GREEN goalkeeping coach Steve Hale feels Harry Pickering will prosper during a six-month loan spell at Shortwood United.

Pickering,19, and midfield academy graduate Jordan Morris have made the switch to the Evo Stick South & West side and will play in Shortwood's league opener at home to Winchester City tomorrow.

Pickering joined Rovers this summer after leaving Port Vale and has  helped Shortwood out in pre-season, impressing new Wood boss Paul Meredith.

"It is a big part of Harry's development that he gets out and plays games to go hand-in-hand with the work we do on the training ground," said Hale. "As a young goalkeeper he will benefit greatly playing games, making decisions, fighting for points in a competitive league and a good learning curve for him.

"Too many young players train, but don't have a game at the end of the week to test them - and I didn't want Harry to fall into that category."

Pickering previously played at Shortwood's level on loan at Kidsgrove Athletic and Hale feels the move across Nailsworth is an ideal fit.

He added: "Harry has already played 40 games at that level of the pyramid, but having moved into the club hostel and area I wanted him to have chance to settle in while at the same time getting games, so Shortwood was the ideal fit."

Pickering's attitude has also impressed his goalkeeper mentor.

"Harry is not only a good young goalkeeper, he has a fantastic attitude and it was important that we had that this season in the goalkeeping group and all three goalkeepers we now have get on great working together, along with me.

"Harry is a confident young man, who can fit in straight away socially to a group and I know that in the games he has played for Shortwood so far in pre season he has shown that he is not afraid to go in and organise his new team-mates."

With Shortwood suffering a raft of pre-season departures, Hale is expecting his young keeper to face a busy time.

He said: "Without being disrespectful to Shortwood in any way, I don't see them challenging for the title, but that's a good thing in terms of testing his goalkeeping ability because I want him to be worked and tested, and I think he will get a good mix of wins, draws and defeats, where he will gain experience from each situation."