Smith back with a point to prove after using time out to 'reflect' on his mixed first season at Cobblers

Cobblers striker Harry Smith is back with a point to prove after playing his first game in over two months on Saturday.

The 24-year-old missed a significant chunk of the season with an ankle injury sustained on Boxing Day but he returned on the pitch against Mansfield Town at the weekend.

Explaining exactly what the injury was, Smith said: "I ruptured my ligaments. At first I thought it'd be some sort of break and I went straight to hospital at the time.

"I had a scan the following day and it revealed I had ruptured three of my outside ligaments and I also did something in the inside of my foot as well, also do to with my ligaments.

"The worst injury I had previously was maybe a minor little groin strain or a hamstring problem, things like that, so this was definitely the worst injury I've had.

"There's still slight pain but I think that's from when I've been on the boot and I haven't been on the grass, but it's manageable now and no-one's going to stop me playing.

"I'm proud of myself with how I've dealt with it and I'm just so happy to be back out on the pitch."

Smith openly admits he experienced a disappointing start to his time at the Cobblers after joining from Macclesfield Town last summer.

The injury was another setback and came just as he looked to be finding his feet, only days after scoring a late leveller at Mansfield, however the 6ft 5in striker has seen it as a blessing in disguise.

"It's made me more determined and I want to make up for lost time," added Smith, who's header on Saturday took him to seven goals for the season.

"I've said previously that I saw this as a positive and a chance to sit back and reflect on my first six months at Northampton.

"It's probably not gone as well as I've wanted it to. I've done some things right and some things wrong and now I want to come back and prove to people that I can be the player that they expected me to be when I first signed."