A GOALKEEPER from Slovakia who works as an au pair in Ripon has been given clearance by the Home Office to play for his new side in North Yorkshire - after being sidelined for five months.

It was a frustrating delay for 22-year-old Rastislav Martos from Bratislava, who kicked his heels on the sidelines while colleagues were in action.

But now the waiting is over and Martos, nicknamed Rasti, has made his debut for Unibond League First Division side Harrogate Town.

He admits to finding difficulty understanding "Yorkshire English" but after a string of training sessions is getting accustomed to Tyke talk.

The new keeper, who came to Wetherby Road from his home country via America, had been with the club since the end of July. But it's been a case of training only and no matches. He was banned from playing because official papers had not been cleared.

Home Office officials had ruled he could not play before a fee-paying crowd until they had given him international clearance. Delays had been caused because Martos had earlier been in America.

Martos, whose au pair duties include looking after a 16-year-old boy and an Airedale terrier, is living with what he calls an understanding family in Ripon. They have made it clear that goalkeeping can take priority over household duties on Saturday afternoons. Household chores can take anything from five to two hours a day.

Martos made a successful debut for Town in the Unibond League cup clash against Premier Division table toppers Emley on Monday, when Harrogate secured a 1-0 away victory.

Club officials are relieved that their five-month wait to play Martos is now over.

Town spokesman Brian Russell said: "It's been frustrating for everyone concerned, particularly as we knew his goalkeeping potential."

Martos, who has played at professional level for SKP Bratislava, has taken a shine to the English style of endurance play. "At first the messages I was getting from the other players were a bit difficult to understand when they were long sentences. But now I know what they mean," said Martos, who is studying English as a second language at Harrogate College of Further Education.

He comes from a family steeped in football tradition, has gone through the Bratislava Soccer Academy and is following in the footsteps of his soccer-playing dad.

Meanwhile, his performance on Monday proved that his team's agonising wait to get him on the pitch was worthwhile. He had been scheduled to make his debut in an earlier match against Frickley, but that was postponed.

Martos went to America in a bid to secure a sports scholarship, playing there for Des Moines Menaces.

"We think he is a good prospect and now that the paperwork is out of the way we are looking ahead to some good performances from him," said Russell.

Harrogate Town chairman Bill Fotherby is also upbeat about the goalkeeper. "I think we have got a good prospect here," said the club boss