Comeback striker Angus Grant warns Highland League rivals that Huntly will unleash their firepower soon after a slow start to the season
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Angus Grant is confident that Huntly will bounce back quickly from their poor start to the Highland League season.
The 23-year-old returned to action this month, having missed the past year of football due to cruciate ligament surgery on his right knee.
Two sub appearances against Banks O' Dee and Rothes have whetted Grant's appetite and he is eager for more minutes in his quest to regain full fitness.
Huntly picked up their first point of the season on Saturday in a 1-1 draw at home to Rothes, having lost their first three league outings.
Grant has been one of a number of Huntly players sidelined by injury and he is warning rival clubs to beware once his club returns to full strength.
"It has been a frustrating time for the team but none of us are panicking at this stage," he said. "Everyone is putting hard work in behind the scenes and these results will change very, very quickly.
"We will score a lot of goals this season and it’s only a matter of time before we are firing and getting the points back on the board.
"It was good to have the relief of getting that first point on Saturday. We have a tough game at Forres this weekend but we just want to kick on, get on the road and take three points back.
"There’s a lot of really good depth in the squad right over the pitch.
"It’s an exciting time to be in and around Huntly for the fans and the players. As frustrating a start as it has been, it is going to turn very quickly and I have absolutely no doubt about that whatsoever.
"When it does, it’s going to be no surprise to the players and the management team because we have put in the hard work and it is going to pay off sooner rather than later.
"We will put a lot of goals past a lot of teams this season, I have every confidence in that."
Grant ruptured both his anterior and lateral cruciate ligaments in his knee last August, and needed a complete rebuild of the joint followed by a lomng period of rehabilitation.
A fundraising effort instigated by his club and backed by the Huntly supporters helped pay for the operation, and he is grateful for all the help he received in getting under the surgeon's knife without too much delay.
He is also thrilled that the surgery was a success and he is back on the field and fighting towards match fitness again.
"It’s been a hard year but I'm glad to see the end of it now," he said.
"It’s really good to get some minutes on the pitch and I’m looking forward to progressing that and hopefully getting a start in the coming weeks and getting my fitness up.
"I got 20 minutes in the first game and half an hour on Saturday, just easing it in and progressing it as it goes.
"The stage I’m at now it’s about getting the match fitness and the sharpness back.
"I’ve been out for a year now, so of course I’m not going to come straight back in flying. For the time being it’s about building the minutes up. Match fitness comes with playing.
"The whole point of the surgery is that now it is actually stronger than it has ever been, which is nice for my peace of mind.
"Once I’ve built up some minutes, as far as I’m concerned I’m going to be straight back in, firing and hopefully getting plenty of goals to help the team as much as I can, where I can.
"It’s frustrating right now because I know what I’m capable of, and playing these 50 minutes I’m lacking that sharpness just now.
"Although I’m back, my mind is telling me to do one thing and my feet are doing the opposite. I came off on Saturday after half an hour and I wasn’t happy with my performance.
"But perspective is the main thing for me. I’m not going to be coming on for half an hour and scoring three goals just yet,. It’s a case of getting some games rather than coming on and changing a game at this stage.
"It’s only a matter of time before I get back among the goals. I’ve certainly got the belief of the manager and the players as well, it’s all there for me now.
"It’s a case of getting out on that pitch and doing what I’ve done in my career this far and carry it on going forward.
"I think I only played six or seven games for the club before I got injured.
"So although I’ve been there for a year and a bit, it is essentially coming in as a new signing. Hopefully that can be a bit of a boost for the boys as well and I can help out the team.
Robbie Foster scored an early opener for Huntly before Kyle Whyte levelled for a Rothes side also searching for their first win of the league season.
