Aynsley Pears was pleased to be back in competitive action for Blackburn Rovers after a long wait on the sidelines.

The Rovers number one has been out for three and a half months after breaking two of his metatarsals against Leicester City on October 1 but started against Huddersfield Town on Saturday.

Pears was initially ruled out for around a month but setbacks meant the injury took far longer, which has been the story of Rovers' season. 

Jon Dahl Tomasson recalled the 25-year-old against The Terriers and he repaid that faith with an assured performance. Pears made one particularly crucial save, showing good anticipation to spring off his line and deny Bojan Radulovic inside the penalty area.

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After a couple of Under-21 games to regain some sharpness, Pears was delighted to be back between the sticks to help the team.

"I had to be sharp off my line, it was good and I feel sharp coming back," he said. "I probably feel better than I did before I was injured.

"It is my job and luckily I could help the team in that situation. I'm just hoping to stay in the team and keep doing that.

"I have to do myself justice, I don't want to play if I am not fit. I need to help the team the best I can, I was pleased to do that today, I thought I was solid.

"I have to know I'm confident enough to help the team the best I can and be sharp, I needed those couple of games to do that and I think it paid off.

"I've watched all the game and it hasn't gone how we wanted in the last month and a half. I want to be in the goal and I believe in myself and know I can help the team."

Injuries have plagued Rovers' season. Sam Gallagher was also making his first Championship start since September with Joe Rankin-Costello coming off the bench. Having only just cleared three out of the treatment room, Hayden Carter and Harry Pickering have now joined it after coming off. 

"The injuries have been difficult, we're all disappointed and there is nothing you can do most of the time," Pears said.

"We have been unlucky and that's where we need the squad to come together.

"It's been three and a half months for me, a lot of hard work and I'm really happy that the manager picked me this week.

"You can train all you want, I played two Under-21 games last week and I felt ready. I was hoping he'd pick me and I was very happy he did.

"There were a few setbacks, I was hoping eight to ten weeks and it's been 14, 15 weeks. It's very frustrating but you have to try and come back in good nick."

Rovers have now conceded the most set-piece goals in the Championship (12) after Michal Helik's header at the weekend. That has been their Achilles heel during this run of one win in 10 league matches.

After that, Tomasson's side struggled to carve open the Huddersfield defence, with the away side having the better of the opportunities to win the game.

"We started well and the set-play kills us. It's a good ball and a good header but it's disappointing from our side," Pears admitted.

"After that, we couldn't land a glove on them really. We had to make their goalie make more saves. It wasn't our day and coming away with a point is better than nothing.

"It's a step in the right direction, we need to get some points in the league. There are different ones, we've had soft ones which are hard but today I felt it was a decent ball and a good header.

"You are always disappointed because we are working hard on them. Everyone knows that but it didn't go our way. We will keep working on them and try to be better next week."