JOEL Senior has returned to action for Carlisle United after a long-term absence following a knee injury in February.

A matter of weeks after arriving at the Blues from Altrincham in January, Senior was strechered off during Carlisle's defeat against Salford City.

After the game it was announced that the defender had sustained a cruciate knee ligament injury and required surgery.

Almost ten months later, Joel Senior returned to action for the Blues in their Central League Cup game against Blackpool.

Assistant manager Gav Skelton was delighted to see Senior make his Blues return.

He said: "I thought Joel really grew into the game after naturally being a bit tentative in that first ten minutes or so.

"When he steamed up the right hand side and forced a save out of the keeper you knew that was a great moment for him.

"He was blocking crosses and winning headers and it was good to see."

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Senior was only deployed in the first half before being replaced by Nic Bollado in a planned substitution and Skelton explained how there is plans to expand the defender's involvement in the near future.

He said: "He got his 45 minutes and if we can get him involved again in the games we have over the next two or three weeks it’ll keep doing him the world of good."

There was also a boost for the returning Jamie Devitt who also featured in the game after recovering from a thigh muscle injury he picked up earlier in the campaign.

Skelton commented on his qualities during the game.

He said: "Jamie was confident on the ball, he tested the keeper a few times, and he kept going. Like I say, all of them who got minutes will be the better for it."

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