Oz Opening

OSCAR Threlkeld has sympathy for team-mate Joe Riley after his season was ended prematurely when he broke a bone in his arm just nine minutes into the 2-2 draw against Blackpool on March 30, but sees it as an opportunity to take his place.

“I do feel sorry for Joe because he was on a good run,” said Ozzy. “He was playing well. It is a bad situation, I wish Joe a speedy recovery, but Joe’s misfortune is, in a way, my fortune. That’s the way football is. If you’re in Joe’s situation, you just have to think positively.”

Ozzy, on loan from Belgian club Waasland-Beveren, will hope to add to his seven appearances so far this season by nailing down a starting berth for the visit of Charlton Athletic in Sky Bet League One, although he does face competition from the likes of Ashley Smith-Brown for a place.

He said: “There is a vacancy at right-back and it is up to me and Ash [to fight for the right-back place]. There is good competition within the squad and basically we have to give the gaffer a headache to pick one of us.

“I’m happy with the amount of games I have played here, because I wasn’t getting that in Belgium at the time. It’s just precious game-time, so I will try to do more in training now that there is an opening.”

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