Michael Jackson is hoping to further step up his recovery from a hamstring injury over the next few weeks after playing in the reserves game with Preston yesterday afternoon.

The club skipper has been missing from the Pool squad ever since leaving the field in the first-half of the Seasiders game with Ipswich at Portman Road on February 16^th.

'Jacko' started the game at Deepdale and played 62 minutes of the reserves 2-1 defeat to the Lilywhites.

Despite the defeat, on a personal note, the run-out was just what the defender was hoping for.

He said: "It was good to get a game. I felt a little bit apprehensive about it before the game, I didn't want it to go, but once the game started it felt good.

"Hopefully next time I can play ninety minutes, I think there's a game next week so that's what I'll be aiming for," he added.

Jackson took part in the warm-up prior to the Stoke City game on Saturday and he was impressed by the teams' defensive efforts.

"I thought defensively we were excellent," he said. "I thought the back four were great. I thought we deserved at least a point."

Although the defender is gearing up for a return to the first team, he is adamant that he still needs further training sessions and games before making a first team return.

"The lads who've played in my absence have done really well, so I've just got to play ninety minutes, I've got to train - I've only done three days full training with the lads, so I need some more training days with the first team.

"Each day is a build up process of not for it to go again. If it went again then you are talking a lot longer," he added.

YOU CAN HEAR THE INTERVIEW WITH JACKO IN-DEPTH ON TANGERINE WORLD.