LIAM Mandeville returned to the starting xi in Saturday's point at Macclesfield and is pleased his hard work has paid off earning him his first start since January.
The Doncaster Rovers loanee has made 42 appearances for the Shrimps this season but after only two starts since New Year, Mandeville admits he's had to work hard to reclaim his starting place.
Mandeville came off the substitutes' bench to score the late winner in the Shrimps' 1-0 victory over Crawley Town and found himself back in Jim Bentley's starting xi to face Macclesfield Town.
He said: "I feel like I deserved my chance back in the side and I think as a team we did well first half, second half not so much as it got a bit scrappy but nevertheless it was nice to be back in.
"I've near enough doubled my career games this season, I'm just over 100 career appearances and I've earned over 40 this season.
"I started the season really well, for the first three months I was doing well and feeling great but around Christmas, I definitely had a dip in form.
"The gaffer spoke to me about it and that's why I came out of the side, that time of year the pitches get bad and games become a bit more direct, which doesn't suit me.
"That combined with fatigue, I'd played 27 games before Christmas this season, before coming here the most I'd played in a season was 26 so it definitely took a lot out of me.
"The gaffer was right to pull me out of it because I'm not going to go out there and dominate in the air and do all that stuff (laughs).
"I've worked hard though to get back in the side and I feel as though I'm getting back to the level I need to be.
"The pitches are getting better now with the weather improving so that helps me play to my strengths and hopefully I can maintain my form for the rest of the season."