Luke Armstrong says he is happy with his start to life as a Stanley player.
The 22-year-old made his professional league debut against Bristol Rovers on Saturday, just 24 hours after joining the Reds on loan from Middlesbrough.
Armstrong, son of former Boro forward Alun Armstrong, played the full 90 minutes against Rovers and despite being frustrated at not scoring, the young striker is glad to have been involved.
"I really enjoyed it," said Luke. "It was a tough test because we always knew that they were going to come for the draw. They dropped off and made it really hard for us, but I thought in the second half we absolutely battered them.
"I've grown up watching my dad play football, and that's exactly what I wanted to do, so I'm over the moon to be able to get my first league minutes.
"All I've always wanted to do as a kid is play football and to make my league debut is an unbelievable feeling.
"I got a few chances, and I should have had two goals really. On another day I would have had them, but I've been taught growing up to work as hard as I can and that's what I do when I'm out on the pitch.
"I've really enjoyed my first few days here, and I hope that it just gets even better from here."
Armstrong came through the academy at Middlesbrough before going on to be a part of their U23s set-up.
He spent the first half of this season on loan at Gateshead before returning to the Teeside club to sign a new two-and-a-half year contract.
"U23s is a different kind of football," said Luke about the step up to league football. "It's for tidy, technical players but you don't get that realism of the physicality.
"It's hard to explain, but it's not 'real' football. There's not people's jobs on the line, it doesn't matter if you win or lose just so long as you play well, but in league football it's obviously about winning a game of football however you can.
"This is a big step up. There is a lot more talent on the ball, especially going forward, and the defenders are a lot more physical and a lot more athletic, so I have to be able to deal with that. The more I play the more I'm going to learn how to do that."