Midfielder ends three months of injury frustration with winning goal on his return for U-21s.

James Jones completed the full 90 minutes on his return from a shoulder injury, as his last minute free-kick saw Crewe Alexandra’s development squad progress to the round of 32 in the U-21 Premier League Cup yesterday.

Jones struck his last minute free-kick accurately and powerfully enough towards Doncaster Rovers’ top right hand corner but their goalkeeper Marko Marosi will be disappointed not to have kept it out after getting his hands to it. It slipped from his grasp to seal a 3-2 win for Alex Morris’s young side with Callum Ainely and George Cooper also on target for the Alex.

Jones made his return to action after recovering from the shoulder injury he sustained in our pre-season game at Alsager. The Scotland Youth International was excellent throughout the game and led by example as the captain on the day.

It is a huge boost to boss Steve Davis and the rest of his squad to have the talented 19-year-old back with us and now it is a question of building up his match fitness after almost three months out.

Following his return to action Jonah told crewealex.net: “It was just great to be back on the pitch and playing again. I was surprised to get the full 90 minutes under my belt but to score the winning goal to put us through was a bonus on top of that.

   “It has been the longest I’ve been out with injury and it has been frustrating not to be able to be out there helping the team. I am just pleased to be back again and now it is just a question of improving my match fitness.

“I have been able to train for a couple of weeks without contact, so I shouldn’t be too far behind with the fitness. I have been pleased with the way things have gone with the rehabilitation work and I feel stronger than last season.”