Joe White is delighted to be back in the Bury Town side, after a two-month absence with a knee injury, and he is looking to help wrap-up an Isthmian League North play-off berth over the next three months.
Centre-half White, relishing playing alongside the young Ipswich Town loan duo of Alex Henderson and Tommy Smith in a solid back-four, made his return for Saturday's 4-1 home win over Felixstowe & Walton United.
"It feels great to be back," enthused White. "I haven't really enjoyed sitting and watching the games from the sidelines. It's very frustrating not being able to help the team more, especially after watching while we've been having a little spell of bad form lately.
"So I'm glad to be back, after what has been a little over two months out. I dislocated my knee against AFC Sudbury in the away match, about 45 minutes into the game, and I hadn't touched a ball again up to a couple of weeks ago.
"The gaffer (Ben Chenery) asked whether I felt all right before the game. The knee felt all right in training last Thursday, and it held up well. I was meant to play last Wednesday, for the under-23s, just to get some minutes under my belt before getting back into the first team, but that game got called off," added White.
Former West Suffolk College Academy scholar White marked his return with a seventh minute opener against the Seasiders.
"It was a great start for me. I don't think I had even touched the ball," continued White.
"My first touch and I score a goal, just a few minutes in, so that built up my confidence massively.
"I felt overall we weren't up to our usual standards in terms of keeping the ball, but we got the goals early. Coming in at half-time, even though we were 2-0 up, we weren't really happy with our performance."
With regards the impact made by Ipswich Town's loan duo of Henderson and Smith, over the last month or so, White said: "I've been really impressed with the Ipswich Town lads. Since they've come in, Alex and Tommy have taken everything in their stride.
"We have a lot of Ipswich Town youngsters come over who don't step up to the physicality of it, but they have both been brilliant. They both helped me out because I wasn't moving too comfortably.
"It should be an exciting second half of the season. The play-offs are the goal - that has been our target all season," added White.
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