Accrington Stanley defender Tom Bender has said he is pleased to be back in action after six weeks out with a head injury.
Bender, 18, made his return to action as a substitute in the club’s 4-1 FA Cup defeat at Notts County on Saturday.
It was his first appearance since being knocked unconscious after colliding with Stanley ‘keeper Ian Dunbavin and Tranmere’s Lucas Akins during a Johnstone’s Paint Trophy tie last month.
He was treated on the pitch for 30 minutes before that game was abandoned.
“It has been made a big deal of but it’s over and done with. Thankfully I can get back playing,” he told BBC Radio Lancashire.
“I don’t remember a thing of it so I wasn’t bothered at all. I just wanted to get back playing.”
“I think I wanted to get playing a little sooner than they (the doctors) wanted me to. They weren’t too happy with me wanting to get back within a week and I think they did the right thing keeping me back.”
Bender who is on loan at Accrington from parent club Colchester Utd, has limited league experience. His appearance on Saturday was only his third for Stanley while he also made two appearances for Colchester Utd while an Apprentice.
“Everyone wants to stay in the team, that’s just the way it is,” he said. “The players that aren’t in the team want to get in the team like myself.”
“For me to come on, it was an opportunity to show what I can do. I worked as hard as I could and hopefully that has given me a better chance of starting.”
