Caleb Roberts: Plymouth Argyle youngster praised for 'wonderful' full debut

Caleb Roberts had only played just over 30 minutes of first-team football this season before starting at Leeds United

Plymouth Argyle manager Ian Foster has praised teenage midfielder Caleb Roberts after his full debut.

The 18-year-old started Saturday's 1-1 FA Cup fourth-round draw at Leeds, with Jordan Houghton injured and Alfie Devine and Darko Gyabi unavailable.

Roberts has played four times in the EFL Trophy, as well as four more times in the league, FA Cup and Carabao Cup.

"He's an 18-year-old boy, he'll remember this game I'm sure for the rest of his life," Foster said.

"He put in a wonderful performance and we're really pleased with him."

Roberts partnered fellow academy product Adam Randell in midfield, with the 23-year-old scoring the equaliser in his first start since Foster took over earlier this month.

"It's lovely to have two home-grown players in the centre of the pitch coming to Elland Road in the FA Cup," Foster added to BBC Radio Devon.

"That's perfect for us as a football club, that's what we want, we want to develop our own players.

"I thought he played particularly well, I thought he was brave and the game is about the 20-man squad, and the boys who impacted the game and finished the game for us were outstanding."

The draw means Foster remains unbeaten since succeeding Steven Schumacher as Argyle boss, having won two and drawn two of his four matches.

Foster, who left his role as Steven Gerrard's assistant at Saudi Arabian side Al-Ettifaq, says he has been impressed with how the squad have taken on his ideas.

"It's not been easy because I'm coming into a football club where I'm new to the majority of the players and staff," he said.

"I'm trying to implement a lot of ideas, we've had 11 transfers in the window, which is probably more than anyone expected, so it's been busy in that regard.

"I'm just delighted that the players have taken on the amount of tactical information that we've given them, and they've been brave in terms of how they played.

"The players have been excellent and deserve a lot of credit."