Connor Shields is ready to showcase his talents at Motherwell and repay Graham Alexander for believing in him.
The 24-year-old was a surprise inclusion from in the Steelmen's starting line-up for the 1-1 draw with St Johnstone, as he made his first competitive start since joining from Queen of the South this summer.
Shields missed every Premier Sports Cup group stage fixtures after sustaining a hamstring injury during pre-season.
It was a sign of Alexander's admiration for Shields that he started over the talismanic Tony Watt and the former Albion Rovers star wants to replicate prove his worth.
"I'm grateful for that," Shields said. "I need to put in good performances to reward him and that'll be me doing my job.
"The manager put me in today and it was good to get 70 minutes. I need to build up that fitness again.
"I came back fit but you lose that being out for weeks but I've got some minutes in the tank.
"I injured my hamstring and I was out for five weeks. It was a setback but I trained last week and this was good minutes in the legs and it will help me for next week.
"I've been training well and hopefully I can perform well for the rest of the season."
Motherwell deservedly secured a point against the Perth side courtesy of Watt's equaliser on 80 minutes after an inspired Zander Clark had kept the visitors at bay.
Watt and Steven Lawless combined superbly off the bench and it was a sign of the attacking quality that the Steelmen possess in the squad.
Shields added: "There is good competition but that's what you want. You want to be pushing each other in training to get that place on a Saturday.
"The standard of player is really high so that'll push me on to get a chance in the team.
"I was looking forward to it - new team and new players. You want to hit the ground running but the injury has put me back a few weeks.
"Obviously in the first half, we weren't up to much but to get a point away from home is always good. We need to build on that for next week.
"He's pulled off three or four brilliant saves and Tony was really unlucky at the end. It's always a positive result to pick up a point away."
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