Oliver's fit for first team duty

6:55am Wednesday 3rd September 2008

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HAVING seen his first-team hopes dashed once already in his fledgling Saints career, teenage defender Oliver Lancashire is determined to make his next opportunity count.

The 19 year-old Basingstoke-born centre-back is hoping to break into the Saints first team by Christmas.

And it will no doubt be an extra special day for him when he does make his debut having come close to possibly doing so last season.

Lancashire, who joined Saints from Crystal Palace in 2005, was set to take a major step towards a first-team appearance but tore his hamstring three days before he was due to be named on the bench for the league trip to Leicester last December.

It was an injury that came back to haunt him twice more last term meaning he missed much of the rest of the season.

Now, having overcome his injury troubles, Lancashire is targeting a Saints breakthrough. He recalled: "I had quite a good start to last season but when I tore my hamstring just when I was about to be on the bench it was obviously frustrating. I did it three times so was out for about three months. But that is all behind me so hopefully I can kick on now. I'm fine now and fit and ready for anything."

Full story in today's Daily Echo