Inigo Calderon has hailed defensive sidekick Lewis Dunk for grabbing his chance to shine.

The 22-year-old centre-back Dunk was particularly impressive as Albion drew 1-1 with Premier League Hull City in the fifth round of the FA Cup on Monday.

It was a rare outing for Dunk who has found himself a peripheral figure in the squad for the last 18 months.

After being sent off after eight minutes at Crystal Palace in December 2012, the home-grown talent has featured in just two Championship games for Albion – once when he was substituted after 39 minutes against Millwall later that month and then as an 89th-minute substitute at Nottingham Forest last March.

With Adam El-Abd joining Bristol City, where Dunk had a loan spell earlier in the season, he has started Albion’s last two Cup ties against Port Vale and Hull.

And Calderon, who skippered the team against Hull, believes Dunk has shown he is more than capable of playing more regularly if required.

He said: “It is really important that everybody trains hard because when you have the chance, you have to perform like Lewis did.

“He was perfect, spot-on with the ball. It is not easy when you are so young and you have to take responsibility with the ball but he did so well.

“To be fair he didn’t surprise because I know him and I know what he can do.

“That is important for us that everybody is ready to play when called upon.”