Isaak Davies: Cardiff City youngster has watched Huddersfield winner '1,000 times'
- Published
Isaak Davies signed a new Cardiff contract earlier this year which runs until the summer of 2023
Cardiff City youngster Isaak Davies says he could not stop watching replays after helping the Bluebirds end their 10-game winless run.
Academy product Davies, 20, came on for just a second senior appearance against Huddersfield Town last Saturday.
He crowned a bright cameo appearance by laying on Kieffer Moore's stoppage-time winner thanks to a fine run and cross.
"I have probably watched the video about 1,000 times," Davies said with a smile.
"I was buzzing after the weekend - it was a really good experience for me.
"I am always ready whenever I am on the bench. I had in my head that I needed to make an impact to try to get the win.
"I had a good few touches to get me going and the main bit was in the 93rd minute. I beat my man, crossed it and it was a good header [from Moore], so I was buzzing."
Davies, from Aberdare, watched Cardiff as a child with his father and grandfather.
He joined the club's youth set-up aged seven and, having come through the ranks, made his senior debut against Middlesbrough last month.
That game proved to be Mick McCarthy's last in charge at the Cardiff City Stadium, but Davies has not forgotten the influence of the former Republic of Ireland boss.
"Mick believed in me from the start," he added.
"He really liked me from the first training session. He has obviously given a few of the boys the experience of playing first-team football. I was just happy that he gave me my debut in his last game."
Davies, who is happiest up front but can also play out wide or as a number 10, is one of a number of Welsh youngsters making an impression in Cardiff's first team.
Rubin Colwill and Mark Harris have won senior Wales caps on the back of their progress at the capital-city club, where the likes of Kieron Evans, Sam Bowen and Eli King have also made senior debuts in recent months.
Davies says the youngsters are spurring one another on.
"It does help," he added. "When I saw Rubin doing well, when I saw Kieron have his two starts, it just pushed me to try to get on the pitch and do what I can and express myself."
The next landmark in Davies' sights is a first start for Wales Under-21s, who play Euro 2023 qualifiers in Gibraltar on Friday and against Switzerland in Newport on Tuesday, 16 November.
"I want to get as much as game-time as I can," he said. "I want to show what I can do."
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