SAM Vokes believes his eight month injury lay-off has strengthened him mentally as he prepares for a return to first team action.

The Welsh international striker has been out since March 29 when he suffered a cruciate knee ligament injury in the Championship match against Leicester City at Turf Moor.

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But he is now back in action and yesterday played his fourth match for the Clarets development squad as they thrashed Crewe Alexandra 9-1.

It was the second time he has completed 90 minutes for the Under 21s and he is now pushing for a return to a matchday squad for the first time in the Premier League with Burnley.

“It’s definitely strengthened me mentally and physically,” said the 25-year-old.

“I’ve been spending a lot more time in the gym and working on the injury which has helped me physically but also mentally because to come through something like that is quite tough. It’s been a good journey so far.”

Vokes scored 20 goals in 39 league games last season as his partnership with Danny Ings propelled the Clarets to promotion to the top flight.

He scored on his 45-minute comeback for the development squad in a 2-0 win over Carlisle on November 25, and added two more in a 5-3 win over Sheffield United a week later.

And he admits it is great to be back on the scoresheet and that his confidence is now returning.

“I’ve felt really good and I’m getting stronger every game,” he said. “It’s important to get that confidence back because in a match situation it’s obviously a lot different to training.

“As a striker you always want to hit the back of the net and it’s nice to do that to get the confidence back.”

“I’ve been training with the lads now for six weeks to two months so that’s not been a problem. It’s helped my confidence because there’s different tackles and different knocks in games which is a lot different but I’ve come through it well.

“It will be nice to get back in the squad and get involved with the boys. Whenever it is I’m ready for that and I’ll be looking forward to it.”

Vokes, capped 31 times by Wales, said his recovery from the injury suffered towards the end of the last campaign had been difficult.

“It was intense,” he said. “The early stage was tough, working hard in the gym on the bike.

“Since I’ve got outside it’s been almost like a pre-season run. Now I’m doing more training with the boys and getting football fitness.”

He also said that it has been difficult to watch his teammates go about their business in the Premier League while hs is unable to influence events.

Vokes is one of the few players in Sean Dyche’s squad with previous Premier League experience, although that only amounts to 11 games over three seasons with Wolves between 2009 and 2012.

But he has noticed a difference in the squad recently, with a run of three wins in six games following a sequence where they had failed to win any of their first 10 games.

“We’ve learned a lot more about it and we’ve grown a lot more street-wise to the Premier League,” he said.

“That comes with the experience of playing and we’re looking like a strong team.

“There’s a lot of competition which is only healthy for the squad. The boys have done a great job so far so I’ll have to work hard to get back in the fold.”