SAM ADKINS became the latest player off the youth team production line to be given his first-team chance when he played for over an hour in Saturday's 1-0 defeat at Peterborough United.

The 17 year-old Birmingham-born midfielder replaced the injured Chris Palmer after just 22 minutes and went on to give a good account of himself in the heart of the side. "To be honest, I didn't expect to get on when I did," he admitted. "But it was a good experience for me and, in the end, I thought I did okay.

"The most noticeable thing was the pace of the game, which was a lot quicker than I am used to. The strength and competitive edge also took some getting used to, but once I got into my stride, I enjoyed it.

"I was pleased with my first touch and John Schofield said some complimentary things to me after the game, so it gives me something to build upon."

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