Hodgkiss: "It was great. I enjoyed every minute of it."

JARED Hodgkiss impressed Bryan Robson on his Albion debut in last night's (Tuesday) 3-2 extra-time FA Cup defeat at Reading - but the Baggies young gun insisted: "I'll keep my feet on the ground."

The 19-year-old, who was released by Wolves as a youngster, has shone for the Hawthorns outfit's academy and reserve sides this term.

And those performances earned him the right-back slot at the Madejski Stadium as Robson made five changes to the side that beat Wigan 1-0 in the Barclays Premiership on Sunday.

"Afterwards the manager just said they tried to get at me but I stuck to the task well," said Hodgkiss.

"He reckoned I came out of it with flying colours.

"I'll just keep my feet on the ground and try and do well for the youth team and reserves.

"This is just a small step on the ladder.

"It was great. I enjoyed every minute of it.

"My legs were tired when it went into extra-time but I still enjoyed it and did my job.

"I was disappointed to lose on my debut but that's the way it is.

"But it is the best day of my career so far and hopefully next time I'll get a win as well."

Robson had nothing but praise for the young defender in what turned out to be a difficult night in the cup, adding: "Jared did very well.

"Early on a few players got down the side of him but after that he did well in the game.

"His passing was good so that was pleasing."

Hodgkiss reserved special thanks for Curtis Davies, who is just a year his senior, for guiding him through the third-round replay.

And it looked like he was going to crown his debut with a win after Richard Chaplow's double gave Albion a 2-0 half-time lead.

"I was nervous a couple of hours before the game. I tried to get some sleep but I couldn't really," he revealed.

"The gaffer told me to go out and play my normal stuff because he knows I'm a good player and should do what I normally do.

"My mum, dad and uncle were cheering me on from the stands.

"They are by far the best team outside the Premiership and Richard Chaplow and Jonathan Greening helped me through the game but I would say Curtis Davies helped me the most."

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