West Ham youngster's Friday night heroics give Hammers a glimpse of what might be

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He has a way to go before he can start stealing hearts in the way Bristol City's favourite London loanee of recent times did - but he's definitely made inroads now.

A few year's ago, Tammy Abraham's season-long switch from Chelsea to the West Country was so successful that he was voted player of the year after bagging a ton of goals for the Robins.

George Earthy's sojourn has been much less spectacular since last summer's move to the Championship side and starts have been hard to come by.

But this Friday night at Ashton Gate promises to be a big turning point for the diminutive 20 year-old, who family friend Nark Noble, among others, sees as a great long-term prospect for West Ham.

Earthy came off the bench just past the hour with City 1-0 down to Michael Carrick's Middlesbrough. They were unlucky to be trailing but a lack of a cutting edge was threatening to scupper their hopes of claiming a victory that would propel them up to sixth place in the league - and a coveted play-off spot.

Within 10 minutes, he had poached an equaliser after getting on the end of a stabbed cross. And less than 10 minutes later, he showed a striker's instinct again to react quickest after a Scott Twine free-kick came back off the crossbar.

It says midfielder on the tin, but these were pure Tammy Abraham finishes.

They were his first for his adopted side and he quite rightly relished making the most of his great night and he had a perfect subplot to work with.

That subplot to the game was the crowd's constant baiting of Boro striker Tommy Conway for having turned down a new contract offer at City to move up to the Riverside. He had been with the club as a youngster and there was a sense of betrayal in the air.

Conway, Hammers fans will remember, was the player who put the Irons out of the FA Cup last season while at City.

When Conway opened the scoring, the Scot could not resist racing to the corner where Bristol's most vociferous fans are stationed and cupped his ears to mock them in celebrating his goal. No holding back there.

So what did Earthy do after his winner? He imitated Conway in front of those same fans - and how they loved him for it.

Before the end, he was back in defence poking the ball away from Conway and winning a free-kick to kill Boro hopes of mounting a late rally. This was a youngster visibly growing in confidence and feeding off the new-found adulation.

A couple of weeks ago, Earthy missed a fine chance to score a winner in a 1-1 draw at Oxford, after a fine run in which he appeared to run out of puff and was smothered by a defender.

It suggested he might still be missing the extra physical edge required in such a demanding division. Tonight's cameo suggested otherwise.

"He's come here, he wants to play and wants to compete," said Bristol City boss Liam Manning. "He's been in and out of the side and had to be a little bit patient but I think it's been a terrific loan for him.

"I hope he now goes on a run from that because I get to see the qualities that he's got. I know he'll score goals and create goals. He's a terrific character and I'm delighted for him."

Earthy was the last to leave the pitch. He milked it for all he was worth, and there is little doubt a good many hearts will have begun to be melted.

It can only be good news for his parent club.