Young defender Adam Matthews is starting to make his first-team mark

Cardiff City manager Dave Jones believes he has another top player on his hands in Adam Matthews.

The 17-year-old started at right-back for the Championship side in their midweek 1-0 Carling Cup loss at Premier League big guns Aston Villa.

Matthews' performance against the likes of England wing James Milner suggested Cardiff have another academy gem.

"I said to Adam before he went out: 'Let's see how far you've come'," Jones told BBC Sport Wales.

"He's been talked up well in Wales... and he's played against a top, full international player and he's done well against him."

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Matthews is not certain to start on Saturday as Cardiff return to league action at Sheffield Wednesday - the Hillsborough ground where their play-off hopes foundered on the last day of last season.

That is down partly to boss Jones bringing his senior players back into the squad to face the Owls and partly due to the youngster's exertions at Villa Park.

"He was absolutely dead on his feet but we left him on," Jones added. "Why? Because that's in the bank and you can't keep bringing them off, you've got to get him to that stage where he gets through it.

"Once he got his second and his third and his fourth wind in the game he didn't let anybody down, and we know we've got a really top-quality player on our hands.

"We know we've got a good player on our hands, the problem we have is trying to keep them."

Cardiff have been forced to sell the likes of Chris Gunter to Tottenham - although the Wales full-back is now at Nottingham Forest - and centre-back Roger Johnson to Birmingham in recent seasons.

Matthews seems to be another defender destined to play at a higher level, although Jones will be hoping that comes as part of a promotion-winning Cardiff side.

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