Defender eager to make up for loss time in the remaining months of the season

Crewe defender Ben Nugent is hoping to grab his opportunity with both hands after new boss David Artell handed him his first league start of the season against Cheltenham Town last weekend. Nugent returned to the starting line-up as Artell successfully switched to a wing-back system to allow Ollie Turton and George Cooper attack from the flanks. Nugent excelled in the three at the back system alongside Jon Guthrie and George Ray and now the former Cardiff City man is determined to cement his place in the manager’s plans going forward.

Nugent told Crewe Alex PlayerHD: “It is nice to be back. It has been a frustrating time. You have to keep hoping you’ll get a chance, I just kept my head down and kept training as hard as I could.

“It’s key to knuckle down and work hard and that is what I’ve done. You just have to stay fit and be ready because football can change very quickly and you have to be ready. You never know what your opportunity will arise and my came last Saturday.

“I’ve been playing for the Under-23 and kept myself going but it’s not the same. It doesn’t have the same physicality or intensity of a first-team game. It is nice to be back playing against men and against Cheltenham I thought every player put a shift in and I feel we should have won the game.

“A point was not the end of the world, but we need to make sure we build on that and make sure we don’t drop points against the teams that are around us.”

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