Stones sign ex-Norwich and Watford goalkeeper and star of FA Youth Cup run

Stuart Maynard continued the link with his hometown and former club Watford by adding another former Hornet to his squad.

The manager has already got Sam Howes, Ashley Charles, Mason Barrett and Dom Hutchinson in his ranks and this week added Dante Baptiste, a 20-year-old goalkeeper, to his squad to provide competition and back up for Howes.

"Dante is a somebody we know from Watford and we’d watched him a lot," said Maynard who started off his playing career as an apprentice at Vicarage Road. "He’s a talented young goalkeeper and he’s going to be adding competition for Sam. We’re delighted to get him on board and look forward to working with him."

A product of the Norwich City Academy, Baptiste joined Watford in the summer of 2018 and played a starring role in the Hornets' Under-18 side that reached the semi-final of the FA Youth Cup in 2019.

He saved four penalties in a shoot-out win for Hendon in November in 2020 and earned rave reviews for his performance on loan last season at Southern League South play-off winners Farnborough.

He spent pre-season with the Stones, playing in friendlies against Billericay and Chelmsford City, and he will wear the No.1 jersey.

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* Pictures by Darren Campbell