Hereford United's Rob Purdie has gained his first international call-up after being included in the National Game squad to face Italy at Telford next Wednesday, kick-off 7.45pm.

Purdie has been one of Hereford's most improved players this season, contributing five goals from his 21 appearances in Conference games so far, including a spectacular strike in the Boxing Day televised game with Exeter City.

His selfless running and energetic performances, either in midfield or attack, have opened up the way for many of his team-mates to find the net, too.

Purdie, 21, a former Leicester City trainee, joined the Bulls at the start of the 2002-3 season in which he figured largely as a substitute.

This season, his strike partnership with Steve Guinan was a feature in United's excellent start to the season and, although both players have spent some time on the injured list, this duo has remained Hereford's most effective forward combination.

There is no place in the squad, however for goalkeeper Matt Baker or defender Michael Rose, who have both been regular members of the National Game team over the past two seasons, although Rose is named as a reserve. Midfielder Ben Smith, who had been widely expected to earn a call-up, is also omitted.

National Game Xl squad: Jon Kennedy (Accrington), James Bittner (Exeter), Anthony Charles (Farnborough), David Perkins (Morecambe), Jon Boardman (Woking), Danny Collins (Chester), Peter Cavanagh (Accrington), Gareth Sheldon (Exeter), Sam Ricketts (Telford), Adam Miller (Aldershot), Scott Kerr (Scarborough), Rob Purdie (Hereford), Luke Rodgers (Shrewsbury), Roscoe D'Sane (Aldershot), Karl Murray (Woking), James Coppinger (Exeter).

Although Purdie becomes the third player, after Baker and Rose, to be called up for England semi-professional honours while at Edgar Street, a number of players have represented their country either before or after their spells with United.

They are Tony Agana (Weymouth), Kevin Charlton (Telford), Scott Cooksey (Hednesford), Paul Culpin (Nuneaton), Murray Fishlock (Yeovil), Ian Foster (Kidderminster), Neil Grayson (Chelten-ham), Leroy May (Stafford), Gary Phillips (Barnet), Owen Pickard (Yeovil), Kevin Rose (Kidderminster) and Paul Webb (Kidderminster).

Tony James, Gavin Williams and Paul Parry have semi-professional representative honours for Wales.