Charlton Athletic defender Ben Purrington has shared a relieved message after making his return from injury during his side's 2-2 draw with West Brom on the weekend.

Purrington had missed the Addicks' last three matches after suffering groin and calf injuries in recent weeks, but he returned to the starting line-up for a hard-fought draw with the league leaders at The Hawthorns.

Charlton fell behind to Matt Phillips' early goal before Macauley Bonne pulled the scores level in the second period. Hal Robson-Kanu then thought he had won it for the Baggies with nine minutes remaining, but Josh Cullen's stoppage-time penalty ensured the points were shared.

Purrington played the full 90 minutes in an unfamiliar wing-back role as he acted as a direct replacement for Jake Forster-Caskey in the Charlton side, with the former Brighton man having thrived in the newly-established role in recent matches.

Forster-Caskey was ruled out of the clash at The Hawthorns after suffering an injury during the defeat to Bristol City in midweek, and this allowed Purrington to make his first start in the side since October 2nd.

The 23-year-old took to Instagram on the day after the match to declare his satisfaction with returning to the side, while he also described his side's late 2-2 draw as "a great point".

Purrington has now made 11 league appearances this term after sealing a permanent switch from Rotherham over the summer, with the defender having also played a starring role for the Addicks during his loan spell last campaign.

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The Verdict

Purrington produced a typically solid performance on his return from injury, and it proved to be perfect timing for him to make his comeback with Forster-Caskey ruled out of the West Brom match.

Forster-Caskey, who is a central midfielder by trade, had produced a string of excellent performances in the left wing-back role to the point where Purrington may have been concerned about winning his place back.

However, Forster-Caskey's injury meant Charlton boss Lee Bowyer did not need to face such a selection dilemma, with Purrington the clear choice to start on the left flank and he certainly did not disappoint on his return.