FORMER Oakbank pupil Matthew Storton made a promising debut off the bench for Bradford Bulls against Toulouse.

The Keighley teenager is the latest youngster to break into the first team at Bulls, who are having to draw on their under-19 squad due to limited resources following liquidation at the start of the year.

Though it was a tough game for his taste of senior action – Bradford losing 60-4 in France last Saturday – the club has high hopes for the 18-year-old, with acting head coach Leigh Beattie saying the back-rower has 'cracking potential'.

Beattie, who is also coach of the under-19s, added: "Matthew missed all of pre-season with a hamstring injury and had a major operation on it, but he has come back fighting fit."

Storton will be hoping to make the same sort of impact as the likes of James Bentley, Evan Hodgson and Brandan Wilkinson.

Beattie added: “You can see how quickly these boys have matured in such a short space of time. There is only way for some of these lads and that is up.”