I WAS back on the bench on Tuesday night. I hadn't trained with the rest of the lads after my foot injury and virus but, with Manny (Smith) out we needed a defensive body on the bench. I'm hoping that Jon (Whitney, physio) will let me join in tomorrow but I'll see what he says.

I've been working with Jon quite a bit. I've been running and sprinting and I'm definitely getting there, even if I'm not 100%.

Tuesday was frustrating. All the lads were beyond gutted afterwards, more angry. Things didn't go our way but we were the better side and deserved the win. Okay, Charlton are flying in the league but I see it as two points dropped rather than one gained and that's what we all thought immediately afterwards. Later on in the season, we might think differently and look back on it as a good point. We'll see.

I thought Jamie (Vincent) did really well at centre back. He's experienced and reads the game really well. I thought he talked Netan (Sansara) through the game too. It would have been good for Netan to have Jamie, who knows what it's like to be a left-back, there to help him through.

February is some month as we've spoken about before. We're playing Saturday - Tuesday - Saturday throughout and we need as many bodies as possible. Everyone will have a part to play.

We've got Bristol Rovers back-to-back and, with the home game coming first, we really need the three points. A few of the lads who were here last season have spoken about the 5-0 defeat. That was a freak result but Bristol are a decent team. They were on the end of a 5-0 drubbing themselves the other day, so they may be like a wounded animal. We need to get back to winning ways ourselves. It should be a good game.

The lads are off today but I've been doing a bit extra. Jon gave me a heart-rate monitor to check on my general fitness, so I've been for a run around the park. Other than that I've just been pottering around and working out a bit. My biceps are on fire........

Mark Hughes