The Colchester United midfielder came off the bench to rescue a 1-1 draw at Chesterfield with a late equaliser, on his first league appearance since returning from a serious knee injury that had kept him out for nearly 13 months.

And it was an especially poignant moment for Perry, who grew up near Chesterfield and had friends and family watching from the stands as he celebrated his first senior goal.

“It was a great feeling,” said former Nottingham Forest midfielder Perry.

“I’ve been back in the EFL Trophy but to be back out there in the league felt amazing.

“To score my first professional goal was a really good feeling.

“It’s been so exciting. I was grateful to get on the pitch and make an impact.

“All of that hard work I’ve put in over the past year or so, it’s made it all worth it.”

Comeback king - Ben Perry celebrates his goal for Colchester United at Chesterfield (Image: Richard Blaxall)

Perry’s equaliser was also evidence of an aspect of his game that he has been working to develop during his lengthy spell on the sidelines.

The midfielder made a lung-busting run into the penalty area before getting on the end of Oscar Thorn’s accurate delivery to head home.

And Perry revealed the move was partly inspired by the Cowleys' instructions he had been given before entering the action.

“Coming onto the pitch, I think it was either gaffer or Nicky [Cowley] said to me, ‘arrive in the box late’,” said the 22-year-old.

“I think I must have been near the halfway line and I just heard them say in my head, ‘make the box’, so I knew I wanted to get on my bike and I must have run past a few players.

“When Oscar has got the ball, you know he’s going to put dangerous crosses in and I was just trying to make the box.

“It fell to me really nicely and I was happy to nod it home.

“It’s probably not something I’ve done too much in my short career so far, arriving in the box like that.

Heads up - Ben Perry nods home Colchester United's equaliser at Chesterfield (Image: Richard Blaxall)

“But since I got injured, doing those clips with Nick and the gaffer has shown me it’s something I can add to my game and it’s something I want to do a lot more, going forward.”

Perry’s goal completed a much-improved second-half showing from the U’s, who had trailed 1-0 at the break.

And they might even have completed the turnaround after pushing for a winner in the closing stages.

“We could have scored at the end to make it 2-1,” added Perry.

“In the second half, we were so much better.

“We probably weren’t at our best in the first half and they were very good, so we did well to go in 1-0 down.

“It was so much better from everyone in the second half and we deserved a point, in the end.”