Jerome Okimo is one of football’s more reluctant heroes, writes Jon Batham.

Not one for ‘bigging’ himself up at every opportunity, Wealdstone’s left back clearly prefers to let his football do the talking.

But after what boss Gordon Bartlett termed an ‘outstanding’ man of the match performance in Monday night’s vital 1-0 win at Kingstonian, even Okimo was forced to admit he is settling in well in his debut season at Ryman Premier level.

The 24-year-old gave a faultless defensive display where his enormous stride rendered Ks’ dangerous and pacey winger Charles Ofusu-Hene all but anonymous.

Typically, the former Chalfont defender pokes fun at his long legs before revealing it was middle-distance running rather than sprinting which helped develop the rangy stride making him a force to be reckoned with for rival forwards.

He said: “They call me go-go gadget legs. I think it looks a bit gangly, but they probably make me faster than I look.

“There’s no sprinting in my background. I did a bit of 800m running, but that is about it really. My athleticism is probably my best attribute.”

Bartlett has long been an admirer of Okimo’s defensive qualities which are currently keeping Jey Siva warming the bench.

However, there were signs in Monday’s win of another side to Okimo’s game with some gallops down the left wing, something of a trademark of team-mate Siva.

He knows it is a role he must develop further if he is to stay at the head of the queue for the left-back slot and says having the experience of Elliott Godfrey and Glen Little in midfield has been the key to his greater sense of adventure.

He added: “If I want to solidify my position at left back it’s obvious I have got to up my game going forward.

“It helps that Elliott holds so well in the midfield and Glen (Little) helps with that as well by keeping the ball.

“That encourages me to get forward as I’m confident we are not going to give it away and leave me running 60 yards to get back in position.”

Scott McGleish got the all-important goal against Kingstonian while Johnny Wright was on target as Bartlett’s side were held to a 1-1 draw by Met Police on Saturday.