Stanley striker Kayden Jackson says it was good to finally be back playing football after the summer break.
The Reds began their pre-season preparations with a 3-0 home win against Premier League Huddersfield Town, with the 24-year-old bagging two goals in the first half.
It has been over two months since John Coleman's side completed their title-winning Sky Bet League Two campaign, and Jackson is pleased with his return to action.
“It was good to be back out there after the off-season,” he said. “You miss playing football. I think there was only one day over the summer that I kicked a ball!
“It was good to be back amongst the goals. I didn't have much time to think about them.
“I knew I hit the first one early. I could have taken a touch and brought it in a bit closer, but as soon as I saw the ball break for me, I knew what I had to do.
“I had to be pretty quick about the second goal. I didn't have a lot of time with the keeper coming out and the defender getting back, but it was one of things you don't really think about.”
Coleman praised Jackson's individual efforts over the summer break after his performance against the Terriers, saying that the frontman appeared to have stepped up his game.
Jackson scored 16 goals last season and is determined to improve after the club's promotion to League One.
He said: “I want to take what I did last year and try and improve on it, better myself and better my game.
“When the summer comes I never just put my feet up and relax.
“It was a good summer, but I never took my foot off the gas because I knew that this season I had to be better than I was last season. It's a better level, a better standard, so it's going to be tougher than last year. I wanted to come back fitter and sharper and look to step up my level.
“It's nice to hear that the gaffer's seen that I am progressing as a player, and hopefully there's a lot more to come from me."