Sam Deering had a day to remember with an excellent league debut as the U's beat Burton 2-1 on Saturday.

And the 20-year-old says he just hopes he can now keep his place.

Deering got his chance because skipper Joe Burnell was unable to recover in time from an injury he collected in training.

Boss Darren Patterson threw Deering in on the left of midfield, and pushed Phil Trainer into the centre alongside Adam Murray.

And not only did Deering not let anyone down, he was one of the game's most exciting players – and nearly found the net with a terrific run past three players that ended with a shot just wide of Burton keeper Kevin Poole's right post.

"I should have scored," Deering admitted afterwards.

"I got through the middle and I could have gone on a bit further, to be honest. All the nerves came, the belly started going . . . !

"I gave the keeper the eyes, and it's just gone past the post."

Deering also had a few nerves before the game, which is only to be expected with another 4,000-plus gate to play in front of.

"We came in on match-day, we found out the squad . . . sitting there, you're always a bit nervous before the game, seeing what's happening, who's on the bench and who's in the team," he admitted.

"There were a few nerves before I came out, but I got through it.

"I definitely hope to keep my place now," said Deering, who during the game switched from left to right with Lewis Haldane, and admitted he doesn't mind which side he plays.

His one disappointment was that his mother missed his debut.

"Mum was at work, which was a bit disappointing," he said. "But I expect she was listening to it."

Striker James Constable said: "It was massive we had a win because we knew we had a break from league football for a couple of weeks with the FA Cup."

The U's are at home this coming Saturday, against Hayes & Yeading in the FA Cup, and the following Saturday they take on York City at the Kassam Stadium in the Blue Square Premier.

Constable's convincing penalty was partly because he knew Albion keeper Poole from the past.

"I knew the goalie from Walsall and that he tends to dive quite early so I made up my mind to smash it down the middle," he said.