Annan boss Peter Murphy welcomed the return to first team football of Jack Purdue and insisted it was like making a new signing.
He came on as a late substitute in the Galabankies’ 2-0 away win at Elgin City last weekend almost a year after suffering a horror leg break injury against Stranraer.
Murphy said: “We were seeing the game out at the end and it was a good opportunity to give him a few minutes.
“Jack has been working very hard to get back and it was a boost for him.
“He was absolutely flying in training on Tuesday night after making his playing comeback.
“It is like getting a new player for me and I am very pleased for him.”
Annan now take on Edinburgh City at home this Saturday and Murphy said he is sweating on injuries to two key players after they took knocks in the win at Elgin.
He said: “Matt Douglas landed awkwardly after going up for a header and injured his calf and could not jump after that.
“Then I had to take Iain Anderson off with a knock on his foot after he was caught late.
“We will see how both of them are feeling towards the end of the week before making a decision.
“But it was a good win for us because Elgin are a good footballing side and it made a big difference for us getting an early goal because it meant they had come out and attack us with being the home team.
“Then we managed a few counter attacks and the second goal killed the game off for us.
“It is another good, tough game coming up.
“Their manager, Gary Naysmith, will know a lot about us from his time at Queen of the South as manager.”
