JAY Rodriguez took another vital step towards making his Saints first-team comeback after he completed an hour of competitive football for the club’s under-21s.

The 26-year-old striker hasn’t played for Ronald Koeman’s outfit for five months since suffering a foot injury -18 months after tearing a cruciate ligament.

However, the one-time capped England striker finally pulled a Saints strip on as the academy outfit defeated Middlesbrough 3-1 at Hartlepool’s Victoria Park in the Under-21 Premier League.

He tweeted: "60 mins into the tank today! Can't wait to be back playing now.. #WeMarchOn."

Rodriguez looked dangerous in the first-half, having a near-post shot well saved, but was withdrawn just past the hour mark for fellow forward Olufela Olomola, who recently made the Saints first-team bench for the first time in the 1-1 draw against Sunderland in the Premier League.

Josh Sims equalised for the youngsters after Arnel Jakupovic put Boro ahead in the first-half.

Sam Gallagher sealed victory with a well-taken finish on 71 minutes before he slotted home his second and Saints' third in stoppage time.

It ended a run of eight matches without a win for the youngsters in the Under-21 Premier League.

 

This latest step forward for Rodriguez, who was Saints' 17-goal top scorer in 2013/14, means he tentatively edges closer to a much-anticipated return to first team action.

The former Burnley man last played for Saints in 2-2 draw with Leicester at St Mary’s back in mid-October before it was confirmed in November that he had undergone surgery on the troublesome foot.

It was first thought at the time of the operation that Rodriguez would be out for around two months, but his absence has rumbled on for 16 weeks now.

He returned to full training in late February and Koeman hopes that Rodriguez will be pushing to play in the Premier League soon.

Indeed, this isn't the first time Jay Rod has spent an extended time on the sidelines. 

He was kept out of Premier League action for 16 months after he tore his cruciate ligament in April 2014.

The striker made his comeback on the opening day of this season in the 2-2 draw at Newcastle. 

In a cruel twist of fate he was once again on the treatment table a matter of months later.