CHERRIES hotshot Callum Wilson believes his year in League One’s school of hard knocks prevented Norwich from stifling his predatory instincts.

The 22-year-old striker maintained his menacing early form as a fourth goal in five Championship starts secured Cherries a 1-1 draw at Carrow Road on Saturday.

Wilson’s bolt from the blue came in stoppage time at the end of a first half which had seen Cherries toil with little reward as the lone frontman was largely shackled by some robust City defending.

Norwich’s Wes Hoolahan had been cautioned for a cynical pull back while colleague Michael Turner also saw yellow for clattering into the back of Cherries’ in-form summer recruit prior to the leveller.

But despite admitting his first touch had “invited” some tough tackles, Wilson had the last laugh by rounding off a sweeping move and insisted he was up to handling the physical side of life in the second tier.

Wilson told the Daily Echo: “It was a tough first half and found myself a bit isolated at times.

“On a personal note my first touch wasn’t the best and by the time I had recovered with the second I had already invited the challenge.

“At this level you get a bit more time on the ball whereas in League One you’re almost waiting for someone to go through the back of you when you take the ball to feet. There was much more of that last season.

“Experiencing that kind of thing has helped in a way. I am used to it and I’m a fighter anyway so I’m always happy to get stuck into that kind of battle.”

The Norfolk clash marked Wilson’s first start without strike partner Yann Kermorgant and the new boy admitted the experience had made him appreciate the Frenchman all the more.

“Yann has a bit more physical presence than I do,” added Wilson.

“Defenders tend to get drawn to him which sometimes gives me that bit of freedom and space to do what I want to do.

“There were two centre-halves against me and they did well to a certain extent but I didn’t think we deserved to go 1-0 down when we did.

“Norwich are a good side and they’ll be up there at the end of the season if they keep playing like that. But once we found our rhythm and got back in the game, we held them off quite well.”