Just over nine weeks since he last started for Ipswich Town, midfielder Lee Evans was delighted to be back in the XI as the Blues eased to a comfortable 3-0 win against Oxford United.
Goals from Freddie Ladapo, Wes Burns and Conor Chaplin gave the packed-out Portman Road crowd plenty to cheer about on Boxing Day as Town’s festive fixtures getting off to a strong start.
For Evans, his return as a 62nd-minute substitute against Wycombe may have come a little early, but was much more comfortable during his 83 minutes against Oxford.
"I’m feeling a lot better this week,” the Welshman said. "Obviously, last week was probably a bit, not early, but I’d only trained once or twice, so it was tough out there. This week felt a lot better.
"It was tough [at Adams Park]. It was probably a little bit early but the manager asked if I could play and I said definitely. I’d missed nine or 10 weeks and I just wanted to get back out there and play.
"I knew I wouldn’t be anywhere near 100 per cent, but the manager showed faith in me that he still wanted me to go out there even not being at 100 per cent. Any time I get asked to play for this football club, I’ll always say yes.
"It’s been a long nine to 10 weeks. It was disappointing to get injured because I felt that I was in a really good run of form this season, so it was disappointing and frustrating, but it was so nice to be back out there today.”
Evans suffered the knee problem in the Derby game live on Sky in slightly freakish circumstances.
"I think Wes [Burns] pushed the winger and he’s gone into my standing leg. I knew straight away I’d done some damage. I tried to play on, a bit daftly really, but it is what it is.
"It was disappointing to get the injury but thankfully that’s behind me now and just looking forward.”
The 28-year-old says he tried to keep his overall fitness up while he was out even if it wasn’t easy in the early period.
"I was in a knee brace for four or five weeks, so that was the hardest bit where you can’t do too much,” he recalled.
"It’s more upper body fitness and hard work with the medical team, and a massive shout out to them because I’m not always easy when I’m injured, never the happiest.
"But they were fantastic and have proved a few times this season that they’re bringing people back ahead of schedule, which is a brilliant thing for them to be doing.”
Also returning to the XI against Oxford was forward Marcus Harness after knee surgery at the end of November.
"Marcus was fantastic today, wasn’t he?” Evans continued. "He had an operation four or five weeks ago, a fantastic recovery. That’s full credit to him and how hard he’s worked and he was brilliant today.”
Although the win against Oxford, which keeps Town two points behind league leaders Plymouth, was ultimately very comfortable, the first 15 minutes were anything but.
For Evans, that was his most satisfying period of the match in a display which showcased all of Town’s qualities.
"A fantastic result and good performance,” he said. "Still things we could probably improve on, but I think I enjoyed the first 10 to 15 minutes when we weren’t at our best.
"We had to defend a number of crosses to keep that clean sheet, and then we knew as the game went on that we’d find our rhythm and start creating chances, and that’s the way it went.”
He continued: "Enjoy, I’d probably say loosely, but it’s the characteristics we need to have as a team. We need to be able to defend when we need to, and then we’ve got the players to go forward who can hurt teams in attack. So it was just enjoyable for me in general to be back on the pitch.
"We got through that 10 to 15 minutes and I feel like I, as well as the team, started to find our groove, started to put our foot on the ball and start playing.
"Three good goals and three different goals. Obviously another set piece, fantastic for us to keep chipping in goals with them, and three different goals, but the three points is the main thing. A good win takes us into two important games now over the New Year [at Portsmouth and Lincoln].
"I feel really good and probably didn’t want to come off in the end. That’s how much football I’ve missed and missed being out there.”
In his absence, Evans’s role has been superbly filled by Cameron Humphreys, who replaced him from the bench for the final seven minutes.
The youngster has impressed and been more than worthy of the praise he’s received from the fans and manager Kieran McKenna, and Evans agrees.
"Cameron has been brilliant,” he said. "For a 19-year-old boy to do what he’s done in centre midfield, probably the toughest for a boy of his size, he’s done fantastic.
"He’s played some tough games as well, tough away games and he’s come out of it with a lot of credit.
"I saw the interview the manager did saying how well he’s done and how he’s a first-team player now, and he fully deserves it.”