Injury-hit Rhys Oates plays 100th game at last for Mansfield Town after four tough years
After four years with the club, Mansfield Town striker Rhys Oates marked his long overdue 100th game for the Stags with a spectacular goal in Saturday's 2-1 defeat at Port Vale.
But he is still well short of being fit after the latest of several injuries that have hampered his career in recent seasons.
“It is a privilege to play 100 games for this club - they have looked after me so well for the last four years,” he said.
“It has taken much longer to get to 100 games than I would have liked with all my injuries, but it is still a big milestone for me and hopefully there are many more to come.
“Hopefully I can now stay fit for the rest of the season.”
Oates has scored 25 goals in his 100 outings and said: “It's not a bad return but I would like it to be higher.
“I think I can do that if I can stay fit this season as well as getting more assists.
“Despite all my injuries, the club have still kept their trust in me.
“They know what I can do when I am fit and I feel like I need to prove that now to them and the fans why I have been kept around while I have had these injuries and pay the club back.
“I need to keep building my fitness. You just want to play, but when you have had the injuries I have had I can't rush into things and force it.”
Oates cut in from the right to level the scores at Port Vale with a screamer of a finish on Saturday only to see Stags sunk by a stoppage time penalty.
“Scoring that late there was the excitement of thinking you'd managed to get a point for the team,” he said.
“Then there was the heartbreak of the last minute penalty decision and coming away with nothing was tough to take.
“The dressing room was really down – the lads had worked their socks off, run themselves into the ground and done everything they could.”
Oates came on for the last half-hour and said: “I had trained once on Friday, but with our injuries the gaffer put me back in the squad to see if I could get a few minutes.
“With how the game went and needing a goal and a bit of pace up front the gaffer sent me on and I felt I did that.
“I am feeling all right. I just need to get more training and games under my belt.”
Manager Nigel Clough added: “The only reason Rhys was on the bench was because we didn't have anyone else. He wasn't fit.
“We asked him at half-time if he thought he could do 45 minutes and he said he wouldn't want to risk it but would give it a go for half an hour.
“That is how not quite ready he is yet.
“But he showed how much we miss him when he is not available, even if it's coming off the bench for 30 minutes. He will make things happen and has an impact on the game.
“We just want him in the 18 every week whether he is starting or on the bench.”