NEW Swindon Wildcats number one Jordan Hedley is relishing the chance to prove himself as he shoulders the responsibility of being the club's main netminder.

When Stevie Lyle brought the 19-year-old to the Link Centre from Milton Keynes Lightning - this Saturday’s opponents for the Cats - the veteran stopper had high ambitions for the teenager to be his replacement but neither saw that coming quite so soon in the season.

However, Hedley is not fazed by the prospect of being the main man inbetween the sticks and is ready to show Swindon fans what he is capable of.

“Stevie going was a complete shock to me and the whole team,” he said.

“I worked with him in the summer. He coached me all summer and he has done everything for me to get to where I am today.

“I had a meeting with Steve (Nell) and he told me that I was going to be the number one this weekend.

“I know I can be a starter and I know I have to play as well as I can.

“For both Steve Nell and Aaron (Nell) to show confidence in me is the best compliment you can have. I know the whole team have confidence in me and I have confidence in them, which is good.

“I want to play to be the number one. That is the reason I came here, even to play ahead of Stevie (if he was still here), and I will do all I can to be that number one.”

Hedley’s first game in his new role got off to the worst possible start when he conceded his first goal just 28 seconds into the game with Guildford Flame.

However, that goal from Jens Eriksson helped settle the nerves of the teenager and he ended up with a man-of-the-match performance in Saturday's 7-4 win.

“I was panicking there (when the first goal went in against Guildford). I was a bit nervous to start with but after that, I was fine,” added Hedley.

“After the first period, I felt relaxed and in the second period, they came pretty hard and I had a lot of shots but in the third, I felt more comfortable and that was when I was just playing my game.”

Swindon, who brought in NIHL stopper Liam McGuire for cover over the weekend, are still on the hunt for a replacement for Lyle, but Hedley is assured he can maintain his number one role.

“I’ve got to play every game as best as I can (to make that number one spot my own) and that is what I am going to do,” he said.

“I am going to try my hardest and if another goalie comes in, then I will just work twice as hard to be the number one choice.”