DAVID CUFFLEY City boss Peter Grant is hoping youngsters Chris Martin and Rossi Jarvis can use their international involvement as a springboard to even better things at club level next season.

DAVID CUFFLEY

City boss Peter Grant is hoping youngsters Chris Martin and Rossi Jarvis can use their international involvement as a springboard to even better things at club level next season.

Martin, 18, made it two goals in only two starts for England Under-19s when he scored a penalty to complete a 2-0 win over the Czech Republic in yesterday's European Championship elite round qualifier at Sixfields, Northampton.

And Jarvis, 19, played the full 90 minutes for the second match running for Brian Eastick's side as they signed off with a victory that will go some way to repairing their disappointment at failing to qualify for the finals in Austria.

England lost their first two Group Three matches against Russia and Holland, but at least finished on a winning note. Liverpool's Craig Lindfield gave them the lead against the Czechs and Martin wrapped up victory four minutes into the second half, scoring from the spot after Jan Halama was dismissed for deliberate handball.

Grant was delighted to see two of his youngest professionals exposed to top quality opponents and getting good reports.

He said: “It's been great for them. The good thing is that they've been playing against good quality opposition, and it's a great learning experience. Hopefully that will whet their appetites for next season. They've got themselves a rest now and they can come back fully fit and pushing to be involved at the start of next season.”

Grant said it was important that Martin maintained his promising start to senior football after securing a three-year contract at Carrow Road.

He said: “It's fantastic that he's had the opportunity to play at international level and done very well. He needs to keep that same work ethic, week in, week out. It's very important he doesn't get carried away, that he learns from his experience. I've seen so many young men in that position before go completely the opposite way.”

“Chris has experienced a lot in just a few months. He knows he's still got a lot to do. You accept there was a bit of a down in performance at the end of the period he was involved. The good thing is he knows that to keep playing at international level he's got to play well for us.”

Jarvis, he said, had benefited from an extended run of first-team football on loan at Rotherham and his England involvement.

He said: “Before I came here and in the period up to Christmas, Rossi had played only three or four games in the first half of the season, which is ridiculous. He can play in different types of position and people have seen his quality at Rotherham.”

Back at Carrow Road, Grant said there was still nothing to announce over the future of veteran Dion Dublin, who is considering the offer of a one-year contract.