HAT-TRICK hero Ishmael Miller was not the only young gun Tony Mowbray was singing the praises of after yesterday's 5-1 FA Cup quarter-final win at Bristol Rovers.
The Baggies boss was also delighted by the performance of Jared Hodgkiss at right-back.
The 21-year-old defender, who had only got 57 minutes of reserve-team football under his belt in midweek on his comeback from a hernia operation, made his first start in 19 games in place of the injured Carl Hoefkens (leg).
And Hodgkiss will now be hoping to hold onto his place in Wednesday's Championship clash with Crystal Palace (ko 7.45pm) after impressing on a difficult pitch at the Memorial Stadium.
"Jared has just had a hernia operation," said Mowbray.
"He played 57 minutes for the reserves in midweek but that's all.
"To come back and perform the way he did yesterday is great credit to him.
"He's the type of footballer I want at my club - a hungry, young, athletic footballer who wants to pass the ball.
"I'm delighted for Jared.
"Carl didn't travel with us.
"He was 50/50, whereas Jared was telling me he was 100 per cent, and that's a great attitude from the boy, who was desperate to play."
The Baggies boss was pleased to see Miller smash the first hat-trick of his professional career against the Pirates.
And, while he admits he would not have liked to face the giant hotshot as a centre-half, he insists there is still room for improvement from him.
"That's Ishmael's first hat-trick in a professional game," Mowbray added.
"My one thing about Ishmael is getting his work-rate up.
"He has undoubted quality, power and goalscoring ability.
"And, if he works as hard as he did yesterday, he won't be far off.
"I was a centre-half and I wouldn't have liked to have played against that power, pace, strength and technical ability.
"I think he showed that in abundance."
Baggies team-mate James Morrison echoed the manager's sentiments.
"Ishmael is big and strong and really quick - and that left foot is dangerous," he said.
"When he is on form, he is untouchable.
"Luckily for us yesterday, he was on form.
"It was one of those things that he fell over when he had another chance to score just before half-time.
"He was more devastated about missing that chance because he knows he could have got four goals.
"That is the type of guy he is.
"He misses a chance and he gets headaches over it."
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