PLAYING well in a tough victory on a first appearance in almost three months was just perfect for Oxford United midfielder Josh Ruffels.
An injury to John Lundstram opened the door for the 22-year-old, who had not featured in a competitive game since December 8.
The clash at AFC Wimbledon was not an easy one to come into, but Ruffels slotted in like he had never been away – even if it was a shock to the system.
He said: “To be fair in the first 20 minutes I thought ‘Jesus, I’m in a game here’.
“The last (development) game I had was probably about a month ago, but I’ve been keeping myself fit in the gym and extra training.”
He added: “It has been a very long time.
“To come back into the side, contribute and get the three points is perfect for me.
“It’s a tough place to come, but I’m happy we’ve won.
“Personal performance at this time of the year isn’t my priority, it’s just the team getting over the line.”
Ruffels had few chances to get the ball down and play, so spent much of the game embroiled in a physical battle in the middle of the park.
And the task got no easier when Wimbledon turned to the bench, with Adebayo Akinfenwa sent on in the closing stages.
Ruffels said: “He’s a strong boy and I thought I was going to get smashed at one point.
“We dealt with it OK and I thought we battled really hard, the defenders did really well and Jordan (Bowery) when he came on made a big difference and scored a great goal.”
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