Lyness Returns
After nine months out with a broken leg, Dean Lyness finally made his return to action last night as Burton Albion thumped Gresley FC 5-1 at the Moat Ground.
The game was played with two XI’s. The Birmingham-born ‘keeper started, and finished the second 45 minutes to keep a clean sheet and ensure the Brewers eased to victory in their first pre-season fixture.
An eleven minute hat-trick from Dominic Knowles and a brace for new striker Timmy Thiele got Burton Albion's pre-season off to a winning start.
When Lyness made his return, he said “It was great, really good in fact.
“There was a lot of hard work to get fit. Unfortunately I couldn’t get sorted for last season.
“I’m trying to come back ready this year so hopefully I’ll get a good pre-season under my belt and be good to go.”
Dean didn’t have much to do in the 45 minutes he played and that was testament to his defence and the rest of the field for keeping the ball and playing so well.
“It was ideal for me to be honest.
“I got the movements back in my feet. My voice as gone as well.”
Being out for so long is something that Lyness had never previously experienced in his career. A broken leg on the first day under Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink was not the ideal start for the 23-year-old shot-stopper.
“It’s hard, very hard.”
Lyness added “It is the first time I have had that experience of being out for that length of time.
"It was tough but you have to do your best to get through it.
“It is all part and parcel of the game. It is a mental test which you have to stick at and like you say, I am back on the pitch now.”