DEPENDABLE defender David Mirfin has praised his Town teammates after passing the left-back test.
The 19-year-old club youth product looks set to reappear in an unaccustomed position in Saturday's big League I game at Hull after coming on as a substitute in the 2-1 Boxing Day win at home to Port Vale and starting Tuesday's 2-2 draw down at Bournemouth, when he headed Town's second equaliser.
Boss Peter Jackson gave his big centre-back the nod ahead of specialist left-backs Rob Edwards, who had a tough time against Vale, and Anthony Lloyd for the trip to Wessex.
And Mirfin, who lost his starting berth when Jackson dropped 5-3-2 in favour of 4-4-2 after Town's pre- Christmas derby defeat at home to Bradford, is delighted to be involved - whatever the position.
"Left-back is a new one to me, but most professionals will say that as long as they are playing, they don't mind what the position is," said the Sheffield-born player.
"It felt a bit strange playing at left-back when I came on against Port Vale (after 57 minutes), but I think that experience helped me down at Bournemouth.
"I settled down quite quickly there, but my job was made a lot easier by the players around me.
"When you have Efe Sodje and Nathan Clarke alongside you, it really helps, and Danny Schofield did a great job in dropping back and giving me vital back-up.
"Full-back is a tough role because you have to get forward as well as stay solid at the back, and Taff (coach Terry Yorath) reminded me of that before the Bournemouth game!
"But while he urged me to support the front lads as much as I could, he emphasised that the really important thing was to maintain two solid banks of four.
"Bournemouth have a bit of strength but a bit of pace as well, and they kept us busy.
"Obviously we were disappointed to concede two because we all know the importance of keeping clean sheets, but we showed character to fight our way back into it twice."
Mirfin, who has started 24 games this season and been in all 28 matchday squads so far, struck on the hour after John Spicer had fired Bournemouth ahead for the second time on 51 minutes.
"Tony Carss put in a great corner and I got good clean contact on the ball," he added.
"It seemed to take an age to go in and a couple of their lads had a good attempt at clearing it, but it was definitely over the line, because the referee was well placed and pointed back to the centre circle immediately.
"It felt great to get my second goal of the season (the first was against Morecambe in the LDV Vans Trophy in September) and it's been a while coming.
"Hopefully there will now be a few more goals to follow, but the big thing is that the team win."
