BOBBY Pointon has seized the opportunity from City’s midfield absences.

Alex Pattison has just returned to training and Antoni Sarcevic hopes to be back in the mix in about a week.

But their injuries – and the early departure of Wigan loanee Joe Adams with a season-ending injury – have opened the door for Pointon to stake a regular claim.

Graham Alexander feels the local lad, who made his City 50th appearance at Colchester last weekend, has grabbed his chance in one of the “number eight” slots.

“Bobby has really taken advantage of this period to show he’s here to compete with all the senior players,” said the City boss.

“I’ve seen him grow and stand up to the competition and think, ‘where do I have to improve to be in that team?’

“I don’t want to go overboard about him because he’s at a really young stage.

“But he’s made great strides in my eyes and I’m quite a harsh critic about what’s needed to be a professional footballer over 10-15 years.

“He’s stepped up to the challenge every time we’ve put one down for him.”

Pointon had to bide his time in Alexander’s first season with a lengthy spell out of the picture before really making his mark during City’s strong finish.

He scored three times in the seven-game unbeaten run that signed off the campaign.

Alexander added: “He started the first couple of games but with the position the team were in, we had to win games fast to get away from trouble.

“We were probably playing a type of game that didn’t suit him. We were very aggressive and direct.

“Then because we won a lot of games and got the ball rolling, he was out the picture.

“Post-Harrogate, I wanted to give him those games to see if he could be part of what we wanted to create going forward.

“He played exceptionally well at the end of the season.

“(But then) we added competition in the summer with proven League Two promotion winners that he was competing against.”

Pointon has proved to be up for the fight with an infectious attitude in training and games that resonates with his manager.

“There’s never a down day with Bobby, never a day when he’s not at it. That’s what I love about him.

“There’s no up and down mood. He’s always at it.

“If he has that for the rest of his career, he’ll have as good a career as he wants it to be.”

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