CHRIS McCann took his first steps towards putting an 18-month injury nightmare behind him by making his comeback in the reserves last night.

The Burnley midfielder, who has played only 100 minutes since September 2009, came through almost 40 minutes of the second string’s home game against Oldham Athletic reserves.

While it was a frustrating night for the team overall, as they missed the opportunity to reclaim top spot from rivals Preston in the totesport.com League West after slipping to a late 3-2 defeat at Turf Moor, it marked what McCann hopes will be a new chapter in his career.

“It’s good to be back,” he beamed.

“It’s been a long road but it was just nice to get on there for the second half and have a run around and a kick-about.

“I’m looking forward to the future now.”

After playing a significant role in the Clarets reaching the Premier League two seasons ago, the 23-year-old youth team product’s top flight dream was cut cruelly short the following September by the first of a catalogue of knee problems.

His January return was short-lived as, after making his comeback in an FA Cup fourth round defeat at Reading, a secondary injury forced him out of the next league game at Bolton with only 10 minutes on the clock, and he hasn’t played a competitive game since.

McCann was looking forward to a full pre-season, but suffered a further breakdown on tour in Singapore last summer, after which the decision was taken for him to have reconstructive cruciate knee ligament surgery.

The popular Dubliner has gone through painstaking rehabilitation to reach this point, overcoming a setback when he required surgery to remove excess fluid from his head last month after complaining of repeated migraines.

But, although it was a largely tentative comeback, McCann and onlooking manager Eddie Howe can surely be encouraged by the progress he is making.

Meanwhile, Burnley reserves missed the chance to reclaim top spot from rivals Preston North End in the totesport.com League West after succumbing to a 90th minute winner for Oldham.

The visitors took a 13th minute lead through Ryan Burns but Wes Fletcher equalised just after the half-hour.

McCann made his entrance and Joe McKee gave Ashley Hoskin’s young charges the lead for the first time in the 57th minute.

But Ben Stevens equalised with an expert finish, before James Tarkowski went on to grab a late winner.

The night was all about McCann, though, and he came on to terrific applause from the Bob Lord Stand when he replaced trialist Louis-Rae Beadle in the 53rd minute.