TEENAGE forward Adam Finlinson has vowed to make the most of his opportunity after celebrating his first senior goal with the Swindon Wildcats at the weekend.

The 16-year-old netted the opener in the 5-4 victory over the league-leading Telford Tigers having become the latest youngster to be handed his chance by head coach Ryan Aldridge.

With Callum Buglass, Ollie Betteridge and Floyd Taylor, as well as a handful of Okanagan Academy players, all away winning gold with the GB Under 20 squad, it appeared that the Wildcats would have a difficult time of things in the league.

However, despite being short-benched for five games, the Cats rallied together to produce one of their finest runs of the season.

A surprise package in that succession of five wins has been Okanagan Academy player Finlinson.

Having only played in the Challenge Cup previously, he was iced by Aldridge with the absence of the GB trio and grabbed the chance with both hands.

“Since the boys have been away with GB it has been great for me and I have just been doing my best for the team and I was thankful to have an opportunity to play for them,” said the forward, who joined from Hull Midget Stingrays in the summer.

“I played in the in the ENL cup games and that was nervous as well but I just tried to do what I do.

“It is much faster playing in the first team and you are up against bigger players so you have got to be quicker than everyone else.

“Ryan has been very helpful to me and pushing me along, and the senior players have all been very friendly and taken me on as their own player not as a youngster, and I have really fitted in.”

Finlinson topped off his fine stint in the team with the opening goal against table-topping Telford Tigers as the Cats went into the Christmas break with a sixth successive win in all competitions.

With the GB players returning for the Cats' next game at the Link Centre against Bracknell Bees Finlinson will be hoping that he has shown enough to compete for a first team place in the future.

“It was really good we needed the win to keep the streak going,” he said after the 5-4 win on Saturday.

“We all played really well and won our 50-50 battles and to top it all off I scored, which was great.

“I just came on and the boys said do your best so that is all you can do and I just got the rebound driving the net and put it away.

“It was a great feeling and I didn’t really know what to do after the goal.

“I’ve given 100 per cent and tried my best in these games and it has felt really good.

“I’ll try my best in training to keep my place and hopefully I will. I am sure there will be a lot of competition and banter when the boys come back from the World Championships but I am sure it will be good.

“I really want to stay in the team and contribute more.”