Josh Sims on his not-so-perfect return to action for Doncaster Rovers

For a moment, he could dare to dream of the perfect return to action for Doncaster Rovers.
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As Josh Sims readied himself to come off the bench after recovering from a hamstring injury, the ball ricocheted in off goalkeeper Lee Burge to see Rovers cut their deficit at Sunderland to 3-1.

Play was restarted, Sims was ready to go and thoughts of helping to facilitate a remarkable comeback were running through his mind.

And then Sunderland scored again.

Josh Sims on his return to action against Sunderland. Picture: Craig Brough/AHPIXJosh Sims on his return to action against Sunderland. Picture: Craig Brough/AHPIX
Josh Sims on his return to action against Sunderland. Picture: Craig Brough/AHPIX
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“It was a shame because I was going to come on when it was 3-1 and you’re thinking it’s a good time because the team has got a bit of momentum behind them,” Sims told the Free Press.

“Maybe then I could come on and help pull us back into the game.

“But then they scored again straight away so it was gone. It’s annoying but you can’t always come into a winning team when you come off the bench.

“We’ve got a game Wednesday and we just need to turn it around and get back to the standards we’ve set this season.”

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The winger stepped onto the pitch and played close to 40 minutes on his first appearance in two months, since suffering a hamstring injury which halted his initial loan spell with Rovers.

For a player as explosive and pacy as Sims, there was always likely to be an element of caution with his return.

But he felt he was fully ready for a comeback, having taken precautions during his recovery.

“With the type of injury it was, I think it just made myself and the physios that bit more cautious,” he said.

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“The last thing you’d want to do is rush back and make it worse or get injured again.

“We had a date in mind but then we pushed it back by a week or ten days just to make sure I was fully healed for when I was coming back in.

“As a player you want to get back in as soon as you can but sometimes you just need to take a step back and think long term rather than short term.

“I wanted to be back up here as soon as I could with Doncaster but those extra ten days helped make sure it was fully healed.

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“Now I can play as many games as I can, rather than getting injured again and having to go back down to Southampton.”

Sims has reported no ill-effects from his run out at the Stadium of Light and hopes to be back fit, firing and starting matches sooner rather than later.

It may have hardly been the dream scenario for a return to action but the 23-year-old was nevertheless pleased to have played a part on Saturday.

“It was tough,” he said. “It wasn’t a good game from anyone. It was a poor result and a poor performance from us.

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“With the standards we’ve set this season, to fall so far short of them, especially over the first 30 minutes, it was so poor from us.

“It’s tough coming on in a game like that because it feels like the game has already gone.

“But you have to come on and try to give the team a bit of inspiration. You just have to do what you can.”

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In these confusing and worrying times, local journalism is more vital than ever. Thanks to everyone who helps us ask the questions that matter by taking out a subscription or buying a paper. We stand together. Nancy Fielder, editor.

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