Stephen Lowry admitted it has been a frustrating time for him as he battled back from injury. The Limavady man went under the knife at the end of last season to fix a knee problem.
Everything was going well with his recovery and he was set for a return to first-team action in the opening weeks of the new campaign. But disaster struck when he picked up a wrist injury whilst playing for the Under-20s.
Unfortunately the 36-year-old needed another operation, but he is now back fighting fit again. He played his first 90 minutes in last Saturday's 4-0 win over Portadown and came on in the closing stages in the BetMcLean League Cup quarter-final victory over Dungannon Swifts in midweek.
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"It has been a frustrating time for me," said Lowry ahead of Saturday's trip to Carrick Rangers. "I had to have an operation to get the knee injury cleared up.
"Then I picked up a nasty wrist injury when I was in the process of getting back playing. I needed another operation to get that sorted.
"The most frustrating side of things is having to watch games...I don't like watching.
"At the same time you have to accept it is part of football.
"I was trying to do everything right and it was just unfortunate that it happened."
Lowry comes back to a Coleraine side with a number of new faces, and he is hoping his experience can drive them on this season.
"The squad is full of loads of talented players and we know we can do better," he said.
"Everybody knows they have to be more consistent and contribute more.
"They have to be hitting seven and eight out of ten every week and not just some weeks.
"I will be demanding that of them, and if it needs saying I'll say it."
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