Dominic Samuel is taking confidence from scoring goals again, even at Under-23s level.

Samuel took his tally to six goals in four games for Billy Barr’s side with an impressive hat-trick in Monday’s win over Tottenham.

It was also his second 90 minutes as he continues his comeback from a long-term knee injury sustained in the Championship game with Reading in August 2018.

Samuel says he has a different outlook on the game after such a lengthy time out, but is hoping his form for the Under-23s can push him towards a first-team recall.

“I feel great, especially after being out for so long last season, which was a hard time for me,” the striker said.

“I appreciate football more and I’ve started to enjoy it again. With every game I play I get more confident, just from playing.

“I’m so happy to be back playing and fit. Scoring goals at whatever level is a real confidence boost, even for the Under-23s.

“I got a hat-trick the other night and each goal was one with a striker’s instinct.

“With every goal you score you get more confident, but it was the second goal of the night that I enjoyed the most.

“The first few games for the Under-23s was more about fitness, but as a striker you just want to get back out there playing games.

“My mindset is that the fitness will come, but I just always want to score goals. The feeling after scoring is even sweeter now.”

The 25-year-old has tried to stay positive throughout his rehabilitation period and has praised the role of Rovers’ medical team for helping him with both his fitness and mindset.

He added: “There have been dark times over the last year or so, mainly due to over-thinking. It’s not always going to be a straight route in football. There’s always setbacks but there’s always light at the end of the tunnel.

“You have to keep working, keep staying positive and the time will come where you do get back to where you were," the striker added.

“When you’re told that you’ll be out for six to nine months, you’re always going to be down in the dumps.

“When the boys are doing well and winning it’s really tough to watch, but the hard work always pays off."

Samuel thanked supporters for their messages in the wake of his hat-trick against Spurs and highlighted the importance of his peers, and family, in aiding his return to action.

“The hardest thing for me was mentally getting over the injury and it wasn’t always positive," he told the club website.

"The first month or so I was really low because the injury came out of nowhere

“The boys were hear to help and also my friends and family back home. You need to open up to people because bottling things up makes things worse.

“I opened up a lot to my dad. He said, ‘you can either sit here and cry and feel sorry for yourself, or you can get back out there, do better and come back better.’”