New boy looks forward to "massive" game at Hartlepool
Darius Charles was pleased to come through a testing reintroduction to League 2 football on Saturday and he’s relishing the prospect of playing a part in another play-off chase.
The 28-year-old tasted promotion through the play-offs with Stevenage in 2011 and he’s hoping to help the Dons up the table after making his debut in a match versus York that ended with Jake Reeves’ dramatic winner.
“You work hard and for the most part you get what you deserve,” the on-loan defender told Dons Player. “Every so often there are moments like that which make the difference between making it (the play-offs) or not. It was due to the focus and determination that we put into the performance. It’s a tough league and on any given day any team can play like a top side. We had to be focused to win the game and I think we did a great job.
“The goal itself was fantastic, but it was nothing short of what we deserved over the course of the 90 minutes. We battled hard and earned the lion’s share of possession and chances. We continue to move forward now and we have another massive game versus Hartlepool coming up. We need to get ourselves ready for that. Everyone knows what they need to do individually and as a group.”
Since switching to Burton Albion last summer, Charles has not had a taste of first-team football due to injuries, but Saturday was a big step in the right direction.
“I was pleased to get through it,” Charles added. “I must say a massive thank-you to the boys for helping me. I could have done better at times, but overall it was pleasing. They are a brilliant bunch of boys here and there’s great banter in the changing rooms. They have really helped me to integrate into the group.”