DAN BALLARD admits he showed signs of rustiness as he returned to first-team duty during Sunderland’s weekend draw with Hull City, but the centre-half is determined to make up for lost time now he is back in the fold.

Ballard made a bright start to his Sunderland career, impressing in the opening three games of the season following a summer switch from Arsenal.

However, he suffered a serious foot injury during August’s 2-2 draw with QPR and was forced to sit out the next four months as he completed his recovery.

He played in a reserves game against Reading at the start of last week, and having been named on the substitutes’ bench at Hull’s MKM Stadium at the weekend, found himself thrust back into senior action sooner than anticipated when Danny Batth suffered an injury in the opening quarter-of-an-hour of the game.

He played a key role in Sunderland’s subsequent draw, although he was understandably disappointed to have conceded a second-half penalty when he mistimed a challenge on Regan Slater. Thankfully, for the Black Cats, Oscar Estupinan missed from the spot and Ballard helped ensure his side were able to return to Wearside with a point despite the dismissal of Elliot Embleton.

“I think the whole performance wasn’t my best performance,” said Ballard. “And maybe if I had a bit of extra time over the next few weeks to ease me back into it, that wouldn’t have happened.

“There’s no better way to get that rustiness out than just to be thrown in the deep end, and I think that will only help me, and I’m almost certain that won’t happen again now. It’s good that I got away with it and he missed the penalty.

“I’m just delighted to get that first one out of the way because it can always be tough, and hopefully I can just keep working hard and get back in the team.”

With Batth expected to be unavailable for a large chunk of the festive programme, Ballard finds himself with an immediate opportunity to re-establish himself in Tony Mowbray’s first-choice starting side.

Bailey Wright is also available to play at centre-half, with Dennis Cirkin another option if Mowbray was to switch to five at the back, but Ballard has possession of the shirt after Saturday’s display and is keen to do all he can to prove himself after such a lengthy absence.

“That’s why I’m here, for a chance to play,” he said. “I would have had to challenge for my spot anyway. This way means there’s a spot opened up, and I need to go and grasp it.

“I’m sure Danny and Aji (Alese) and Dennis will all be fighting for their spot. It’s my time now to go and cement that spot again.

“I didn’t expect to be thrown back out there that quickly, and it’s unfortunate that Danny picked up an injury but I had to be ready. I was a bit nervous having to get stripped that quickly and having to get back on the pitch, but once I was out there, I was straight back to it and loved every minute.”

Batth was not the only Sunderland player to suffer an injury at the weekend, with Embleton leaving the field on a stretcher in the wake of the challenge that resulted in his controversial dismissal.

Mowbray admitted he was ‘fearing the worst’ after Embleton had to go straight to hospital, and the midfielder’s team-mates are ready to do all they can to try to aid his recovery.

“It’s never nice to see that,” said Ballard. “You could see the pain in his face and his disappointment. It’s never nice to see a team-mate go through that.

“It’s a really good bunch of lads, and we’re all going to get around him and hopefully build him back stronger and put him in a better shape than he was now when he returns.”