Doug Loft made a long-awaited return to Colchester United’s starting line-up – and then set his sights on a fairytale Wembley appearance.

The experienced midfielder has endured an injury-ravaged season due to Achilles and calf problems.

But he returned to the U’s side for the first time in nearly eight months in their 1-1 draw at Morecambe yesterday, which left them two points off the top seven with three games remaining.

Loft, 30, says he is delighted to be back and the former Port Vale man now wants to play his part in helping Colchester earn promotion back to League One, at the first time of asking.

Loft said: “It’s been the most frustrating season of my career but I’ve got myself into a position where I’m in the best shape I’ve been in.

“I feel good and looking forward to hopefully getting a few games, between now and the end of the season.

“I’m adamant in the games to go, I can have a big say in what we do this season.

“I believe we’ll be playing at Wembley at the end of the season and I’ll be playing a big part in that.

“That’s what I’ve been keeping my eye on and I know what I can do and I’m confident in my own ability.

“I’m very confident we’ll be in the play-offs with the players we have but we have to still go out and do it.

“If you’d asked me about three weeks ago, I’d have said that was my season done.

“But I’ve got myself in a position where I feel good.

“It’s taken a lot of mental strength to come through what I’ve been through and I couldn’t have got through without my friends, family and team-mates.

“It’s been the hardest period of my career and it’s just nice to get out there.

“I probably haven’t trained as much as I’d like to but I’ve been thrown in and I’m happy with how I did and I just sat there and tried to keep things ticking.”

It had looked for a long time as though Loft had helped Colchester claim victory in his comeback appearance, after they led for much of the game thanks to Richard Brindley’s fine strike.

But a late penalty from Michael Rose denied the U’s victory, leaving Loft frustrated.

“It was poor from us and everyone was disappointed,” added Loft.

“It wasn’t a very good pitch but we should have enough experience and knowhow to see the game out.

“Everyone knew what we should have done and we should have kept it in the corner and seen the game out, as it would have been a massive three points.”