Lloyd Isgrove admitted it felt great to be back starting again for Bolton Wanderers after a long time out injured as he admits he is happy to be versatile in a bid to get in the team.
Isgrove returned to action last month in the Papa Johns Trophy versus Tranmere Rovers after being out injured since last November. He followed that up with his first start in the 3-0 win over Leeds United's under-21s last night.
Jon Dadi Bodvarsson put the Whites ahead in the first half as he turned home a cross from the returning Isgrove.Wanderers doubled their lead after the break when Amadou Bakayoko fired home from close range following Conor Bradley's shot being saved by Joel Robles, before Kieran Sadlier added a third before full-time to put the 3-0 victory beyond doubt.
Isgrove has played a few games of late for the club's second string in a bid to improve and build up his fitness for a first team return. The Wanderers side he has come back into from the one he last played in has changed a lot, including players and system.
He is being deployed as a wing-back in this formation Ian Evatt now employs at Bolton. Despite it being a new role for him, he enjoys learning and playing the position and is hoping he can build up his first team appearances from here.
He said: “It was very nice to be back out there, it has been a while. Just to get back and get some minutes in was fantastic. Getting an assist, Big Jon getting on the end of it, that was great but it was all about the win.
“I felt good. I’d played a bit for the B Team coming into it so I was feeling fine. It is a long time but when you get out there it feels like you have never been away.
“Getting out there, getting used to a new team because it all changed while I was away. I have obviously trained with them but it is different on a matchday so some of them are new team-mates. It is just nice to be out there and being around the lads is great.
“It is a new role again. I was playing in a back four last season when I was playing. I am learning all the time. I can get up and down and enjoy playing there.
“In the game now players are asked to do different roles. If the gaffer trusts you, it is good to have some versatility. We have a few lads like that, which must be good for the manager.
“You look at Sads going in up front. When the gaffer trusts you and knows you can do a job for the team it can only be good for yourself.
“When the team changes the levels can’t drop. There were quite a few changes tonight but it worked out.
“First team to B Team is different, but I am still building up sharpness. Ten months is a long time.
"You are not just going to be out there playing 90 minutes every week as soon as you get back. Take your time, know when you are ready, know your body."
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