FINN Cousin-Dawson will be hoping for his first competitive international action when Northern Ireland under-21s host Slovakia in the Euro 2021 qualifiers later today.

The City teenage defender was an unused substitute in Friday's 4-1 loss to Malta in Attard as the Irish made a poor start to their qualifying campaign.

Boss John Schofield is likely to make changes for the second match in group C and Cousin-Dawson is pushing for a call-up.

Derek Adams will have a club scout at the game in Mourneview Park in Lurgan to see if the 19-year-old gets his chance.

The Bantams boss believes the experience of spending a week with the international squad will help Cousin-Dawson’s development.

Adams said: “It’s brilliant for him. To get away with the under-21s is beneficial for him and for the football club.

“As a 19-year-old, he’s always looking to improve and going away with them, they’ll train in a different way.

“He’s playing with younger players but ones from bigger football clubs than we’re at. That can only help him.

“We’ve got someone going there to watch him and hopefully he gets an opportunity.”

Cousin-Dawson will fly back to England tomorrow and return to City training on Thursday to prepare for the weekend visit to Salford.