Shaun Wilkinson has already made one dream come true and now he wants to do it all over again.

The young striker is desperate to be involved in Albion's big south coast derby at Portsmouth next Saturday following his full League debut in the home defeat by Norwich.

Wilkinson was born in Portsmouth, still lives there and admits he is a Pompey fan.

"All my friends keep phoning me for tickets," he revealed. "It would be a dream come true for me to play against them.

"Last season I wasn't involved in the first team much, so I watched about ten of Portsmouth's games.

"I support them being my home town club, but I want to get one over them. I was at Southampton as a kid, so I think they were a bit bitter that I went to their rivals!"

Wilkinson's start in the 2-0 reverse against the Canaries last Saturday was only his sixth League appearance. The previous five had all been as a sub.

He made his debut at Swansea in December 1999, when Micky Adams' men were depleted by illness, then played a bit part in Bobby Zamora's first appearance for the club at home to Plymouth a couple of months later.

Wilkinson had to wait until March 2001 for his next outing, against Barnet, before another long period of frustration.

The 20-year-old did not feature at all last season, when he captained the reserves from midfield or fullback and went on loan to Havant and Waterlooville.

He still did enough to earn another one-year contract and has flourished since boss Martin Hinshelwood converted him back into a frontrunner, his position when he joined the club five seasons ago.

Wilkinson bagged four goals in friendlies against Bognor, Crawley and Cheltenham.

He came off the bench versus Burnley and Coventry, almost snatching a late winner against the latter, and his big chance finally arrived after club captain Paul Rogers pulled out of the Norwich match with a stomach bug.

Wilkinson partnered Zamora, then former youth team-mate Daniel Marney once Zamora hobbled off.

"I said at the beginning of the season I wanted to start a game and now I've done that," he reflected.

""I found out I was playing an hour before the game. I wasn't really nervous, excited more than anything. It was hot in the first half and my head was pumping.

"I thought I did okay. I may not be the biggest, but I still jump with defenders.

"I worked hard. I was a bit knackered towards the end, which is why I was taken off. He (Hinshelwood) said well done, shook my hand and gave me a pat on the head."

Wilkinson's departure handed a senior debut to another of Albion's promising crop of youngsters. Daniel Harding replaced him for the last 11 minutes.