Jones return sparks hope at Wanderers that worst of injury crisis is over

GETHIN Jones has made his long-awaited return to action, signalling what Wanderers hope will be the end of their injury crisis.

The experienced defender played 45 minutes for the B Team against Huddersfield Town at Lostock yesterday in what was his first competitive football since the play-off final in May.

Jones picked up a knee injury in July and his comeback has been pushed back on a few occasions after flare-ups – but Wanderers are confident he will be back in contention for a place in the squad after the international break, and he could soon be joined by some of the other players on an extensive injured list.

George Thomason is nearing a return to training after a hamstring injury and Jordi Osei-Tutu’s return after a turn calf muscle is also imminent.

Nathan Baxter has also pencilled in the home game against Blackpool on November 23 for his comeback, having been out of action since the win at Northampton Town at the start of last month.

Kyle Dempsey should follow soon, as he tries to clear his own knee problem, as will Carlos Mendes Gomes, whose return to training is being carefully managed after nearly a year out of the game.

Eoin Toal and Chris Forino will not play until early near year – but with Jones now back, the hopes are high at Bolton that the worst of their injury issues can now be put behind them.

B Team boss Andy Taylor confirmed that the former Everton man had come through his Central League Cup comeback with flying colours.

“Early on they put one in behind and he had a good 30, 40-yard sprint to test himself,” he said.

“That is good and because it was a decent level game, it is better for him. It would have been no good for him to play in a game at a friendly pace, it was a high tempo and great to see him back after a while.

“He has come through it unscathed which is the main thing and hopefully that puts him in good stead to start threatening the first team squad sooner rather than later.”

Jones’s presence in the B Team was also a boost to a young team, beaten 5-2 on the day with the goals coming from Ajay Weston and Ben Andreucci.

Taylor said: “In terms of the whole day – being involved in the matchday meetings and around the changing room – it is invaluable experience for the young players to be around the senior pros.

“You pick up little golden nuggets of how they go about their work without even realising it – in the changing room, in the warm-up and after the game.

“The more exposure we can get the senior pros to our young lads, it I invaluable experience.”

It was also confirmed yesterday that Josh Sheehan has been called up for Wales’ forthcoming Nations League games against Turkey and Iceland.

Dion Charles and Luke Southwood are also in the Northern Ireland squad who play Belarus and Luxembourg.

But there was no place in the Hungary squad for Szabi Schön, who remains on standby for the games against the Netherlands and Germany.