Macca back in first team action as reserves draw with Morecambe
The development side played out a good 3-3 draw with Morecambe at the Greenhous Meadow and the game marked Dave McAllister’s return to first team action.The popular midfielder has been missing since picking up an ankle injury towards the end of last season. A subsequent appointment with the consultant found that he had syndemosis tear and it was decided to operate on this.
He’s been working hard behind the scenes since with physio Chris Skitt and his team and returned to full time training a couple of weeks ago.
It was his first competitive football in nearly 6 months but Dave was pleased to be back playing:”It was great to be back out there playing my first game in nearly 6 months.
“I got a bit tired in the second half but it felt good to be back out there playing.”
There are lots of ways a footballer can build up their fitness while injured but nothing is better than actually playing football. Dave played just over 60 minutes in the game as he starts the hard work to build up his match fitness:”Nothing can replicate what you do in a match, the twisting and turning, heading, tackling, getting kicked, kicking other people.
“It didn’t help that I was up against the quickest little left-back but that made it a good test.
“I enjoyed it but towards the end I got a little bit fatigued and ached a little but that was expected.
“It’s now about getting the ice on it, rest it up and come back on Thursday and go again.
“It’s nowt about kicking on and getting more minutes in the next game and then the next.
“I’ve missed pre-season so need to get my fitness back and that will mean doing a lot more work on my own.”
Now he’s over the injury the focus switches to increasing his fitness and getting back to the levels needed to play professional football. His work with Skitty now switches for rehab and with the help of fitness coach Andy Hodgen he will work to achieve this:”The boys have been great so far and been a great help.
“I’ve been doing different work when I needed to keep off my ankle and have done a lot of boxing, swimming and cycling.
“Nothing can replicate that match fitness so I need to do a lot more running and do my own mini pre-season.
“Skitty and Hodge have come to me and said that anything I want to do we will work together on over the next few weeks.”
It will then be about getting back into first team and with manager Micky Mellon giving all his players a chance Dave is hoping it won’t be too long before he gets his:”There has been a bit of rotation and he’s shown he will change it if needs be so you have to be ready when your chance comes.
“There have been a lot of games so far this season and next week we’ve got Tuesday, Saturday, Tuesday so the games are continuing to come thick and fast.
“There are opportunities coming up and we’ve seen with injuries so far that when the chance comes in your position you have to grab that.”