Jordon Garrick has revealed his joy after marking his return from injury with a wonderful individual goal in Swansea City Under-23s’ Premier League Cup win over Aston Villa.
Garrick scored the second goal as the young Swans beat Villa 2-0 to progress to the quarter-finals of the competition.
After just under two months out with a hamstring injury, the winger played the opening 33 minutes at Landore before been withdrawn as a precaution by coaches Cameron Toshack and Gary Richards.
And the 20-year-old was delighted to mark his comeback in the best possible way.
“It meant everything to be back,” he smiled. “I was excited for the game but a bit anxious as well.
“But, once I started the game, the nerves went away. After been injured, I just want to play all the time.
“Getting back out there and helping the team into the next round with a goal is a magnificent feeling for me.”
The moment of magic came in the 19th minute when, after receiving the ball to feet from Matthew Blake on the left wing, Garrick cleverly skipped away from the challenge of his marker, before driving into the area and calmly slotting into the far corner past goalkeeper Viljami Sinisalo.
That gave the winger his fourth goal of the season and he admitted that taking his coaches’ advice on board paid dividends for him.
“Anyone who knows me knows that’s what I like to do,” he added.
“I knew that, once he got too tight, I was going to turn him. Then, it was just a matter of whether or not I could make it into the box.
“The coaches are always stressing for me to drive into the area and try to finish low away from the goalkeeper.
“I just put everything into practise and it’s about time I produced something like that.”
