O'Malley: It was a good feeling to be back out on the pitch

Iron defender Mason O'Malley is happy to be back within the fold following his recent return from injury.

The 20-year-old was forced to be withdrawn following a hamstring problem he sustained against Bristol Rovers back in January, but was happy to be back out on the field against Rochdale this weekend. 

"It was a really good feeling to be back out on the pitch," began the United defender. 

"I’ve worked really hard behind the scenes and away from the pitch and managed to get back a little earlier than I expected really. That’s thanks to the physios and the coaching staff for helping me and pushing through to get the opportunity to come back a week early."

Keith Hill’s side were unfortunately beaten by Rochdale on Saturday afternoon as O’Malley reflected on the defeat, beginning: "We’re really disappointed. It hurts a bit more when you're winning 1-0 at half-time. You feel like you have a bit of control in the game and then to throw it away like that, it hurts that little bit more.

"It was like a game of two halves. We started the game so well, we kept the ball really well in the first half - no so much in the second-half, that was just how it went. 

"We limited them to not a lot because we had a lot of the ball in first-half and then we gave them too much time on the ball and I think we helped them by giving it away too often ourselves. 

"If they’ve got more possession of the ball it only gives them more chances to go on an create more chances really."

With fellow defender Lewis Thompson also returning from his own longer-term hamstring set-back, O'Malley says he is once again relishing the competition between the pair.

"It's a healthy battle that we’ve got but we're both going to push each other. We're both fit and raring to go," he added.

Having taken the lead early in the first half, Scunthorpe then conceded twice in the second 45 minutes, with O’Malley believing the side had a strong foot hold in the game. 

"We felt like we had a bit of control going in 1-0 up at the break," he said.

"It gives you that confidence in the second half and I don’t think we carried on from the first half how we progressed into the second half. We didn’t follow through on that."

United return to action on Tuesday evening, with the Leeds-born defender insisting no two games in the division present the same challenge.

"As I have said before, no game in this league is easy, no matter who you’re playing so it’s going to be a tough one. We have to take each game as it comes and we are now looking forward to that game now," he concluded.

See much more from Mason O'Malley on iFollow Iron.