Wednesday 10 September 2014 15:35, UK
Fleetwood winger Jeff Hughes is hoping he is "on the home stretch" after taking the next step on the long road back from a broken leg.
The 29-year-old, capped twice by Northern Ireland, required two operations and specialist injections after his 2013/14 campaign was ended by a poor challenge from Hartlepool full-back Jordan Richards in January. Hughes played the full 90 minutes for Fleetwood's development squad in midweek and is pleased with his progress. "It was better today. It's the first time I've played pain-free, that's a big step," he told the Blackpool Gazette. "It wasn't the greatest of performances but I'm over the moon. Once you're back playing, you can't expect everything to be as it was before. You've got to keep on it. "You don't just walk back into the first team. It doesn't work like that. "I've had four days' training - five if you include one with the kids. That's since I've had the injections. "In the games I had played it hasn't been quite right. "This is the first time I've played without it hurting me. It's still early days but it's good to be on the home stretch."
