Summer signing Luke Southwood was delighted to get his Wanderers’ career up and running with a first appearance for the Whites, writes Pete Oliver.
Southwood had to wait until Wanderers’ penultimate pre-season friendly to make his bow after recovering from a broken fibula he suffered playing his final game for Cheltenham Town at the end of last season.
And despite a 1-0 defeat to Stoke City in his first outing for Ian Evatt's men, the goalkeeper enjoyed a decent night’s work which he capped with an outstanding second-half save to deny City striker Emre Tezgel.
“After the road to recovery after the injury at the end of last season, to finally get out there and get the 90 minutes I was delighted,” Southwood told Wanderers TV.
“Any goalie will tell you it's about building those minutes up and getting comfortable back doing what you're doing and a save like that always helps to speed that process along.
“Even to do the warm-up and walk out there with a few fans here was brilliant for me. It was a great night and I'm really happy.”
Southwood started every game in League One for two successive seasons with Cheltenham to earn a move to Wanderers on an initial two-year deal in June.
The former Reading shot-stopper, 26, may have to bide his time to add to that tally with the Whites, where Nathan Baxter currently fills the number-one jersey.
But Southwood is looking forward to the challenge of working with Baxter and Joel Coleman in Wanderers’ League One quest after getting over the injury that delayed his first taste of action at the Toughsheet Community Stadium.
“It's a big part of settling in when you get out there with the boys, whether it's a pre-season friendly or the first game of the season,” added the Northern Ireland international.
“It was important for me to tick that off and I've got to keep building on it and working hard and make sure if the opportunity comes I take the chance.
“It was a long 12 weeks (of recovery) but there was so much hard work to try to make sure that when I do get back fit out there I’m ready and every other part of my body as well. So to get out there and get through the 90 minutes and feeling good is a big thing for me.
“For most of this pre-season I think the performances have been brilliant and I think everyone is ready to go come that first game of the season.
“We will be ready, whether our role is to start, to come on or take over it is what it is and we've all got to be ready and we all know what the collective goal is.”
Watch the full interview with Luke on Wanderers TV HERE
Images: Jake Horrocks