Corry Evans: Northern Ireland man's Blackburn return 'couldn't have gone better'

Corry Evans admitted his equaliser in Blackburn's win over Bristol City was intended to be a cross

Corry Evans says his return to football after serious injury and lockdown "couldn't have gone any better" after he was on target in Blackburn's 3-1 win over Bristol City on Saturday.

Evans admitted his equaliser had an element of fortune but his overall display saw named man of the match.

The Northern Ireland man was playing his first game since sustaining a fractured skull in January.

"It as an all-round pleasing day," said the typically understated Evans.

"We managed to get the win. I scored a goal and got an assist and was man of the match. It was just nice to be out on the pitch again after such a long time not playing football."

Blackburn within a point of play-off places

Ever the team player, the thing that pleased the former Hull City player most was that the win moved Blackburn to within a solitary point of the Championship play-off places with eight rounds of fixtures left.

"We're in a really good position with eight games to go," said Evans, who admitted that his equaliser in Blackburn's behind closed doors return fixture was intended as a cross.

"I was trying to put it into an area for our striker Sam Gallagher to get on the end of it but it's obviously eluded him and gone into the back of the net.

"It wasn't until everyone turned around and started to run towards me that I realised it had gone in. No fans cheering probably delayed it even more."

Evans sustained a fractured skull and shattered eye socket after being accidentally kicked in a game against Preston in January

'Bang on nose told me I was ready'

Lockdown's arrival in March meant Evans missed fewer games that he would have anticipated and the nature of his injury, which also included a shattered eye socket, meant a relatively quick return to fitness.

"It wasn't a leg injury so I was able to keep load on my legs in the gym and continue with my running. I came back pretty fit from lockdown and was just ready to go once the games came around."

Evans jokes that a bang on the nose from a ball in training told him that he was ready to return to action.

"One of my first days back in training, one of my team-mates attempted to flick a ball over my head but it hit me square on the nose.

"He stopped and was apologising to me but it was just the normal watery eyes and once I had that (over), I was fine and I probably needed that just for my own confidence."

Evans' horror injury in January meant he was set to miss Northern Ireland's Euro 2020 play-off against Bosnia-Herzegovina in March and the possible subsequent final against either Slovakia or the Republic of Ireland five days later.

However with Euro 2020 now having become Euro 2021, the play-offs will now take place in the autumn when Evans will hope to be centrally involved for the new Northern Ireland manager - whoever he turns out to be.

"All the boys are looking forward to it. It's going to be another opportunity for us to go to another major tournament.

"The last one four years ago (Euro 2016) still seems like only yesterday but those memories drive you on to try and achieve great things again.

"We had some great times with Michael (O'Neill) and the squad that's there is well equipped to keep the good time rolling."