By Rob Cornell
Tom Soares has set aside his injury frustrations and is back on the comeback trail for AFC Wimbledon.
The attacking midfielder had been ruled out for six months following an ankle operation and a thigh injury, but Tom completed 45 minutes in the 1-0 Central League win for the development side at Bournemouth.
"It was really good to be back out there," said Tom in an interview to our premium iFollow Dons channel.
"It's been a long time and I'm very grateful to be back. I've been working very hard in the physio room and the gym to get nice and strong, so hopefully I'll be back and be back out there.
"I've been training, but a few more games like these will be brilliant for the match fitness and hopefully I'll be with the first-team and knocking on the door ready to play.
"It was very enjoyable being back out there. It's been a long time and very nice to be back playing and get 45 minutes under my belt with the boys."
Harry Forrester stepped up his match fitness for Wimbledon too, getting the Dons goal. Tom feels the Glasgow Rangers loanee will be an asset to the first-team.
"It's about match fitness now for him," said Tom. "He worked really hard and a bit more of that and he'll be flying."
The former England under-21 international, signed in the January transfer window from Bury, has also been impressed with the progress of the young Dons players so far this season.
"A lot of the young boys have come on leaps and bounds from last season.
They've stepped up to the first-team and they look like men and that's been showing in the games – they've been brilliant."
The full interview with Tom Soares and the thoughts of Development coach Alan Reeves are on our iFollow Dons channel, along with an update from the training ground with manager Neal Ardley.