No footballer likes to have a chance to play because of an injury to a team-mate but, in football, that’s life.

I made my debut for Charlton last weekend – but only because Rob Elliot had a knee injury and Ross Worner had a finger injury.

When I arrived on loan from Millwall, I was determined to push the two of them for their place in the team. I get on well with both but as a professional, you have to have that mentality that you want to get past them.

There’s no point being a footballer otherwise – although I wouldn’t wish injury on anybody!

When you get a chance you have to take it and I thought I did that against Oldham Athletic. I didn’t realise until afterwards that the team hadn’t kept a clean sheet since early February, so I was pleased to play my part, especially as we played a long time with 10 men.

I had a good idea I’d be playing a day earlier. Rob hadn’t been completely ruled out but I prepared as if I was going to be playing on Saturday and I was told at about 10am that I would be making my debut.

I enjoyed the match and, although it was only one game, I’m going to try to stay in the team for longer.

However, my loan expires after Saturday’s match against Huddersfield so it will depend on the injuries to Rob and Ross whether I stay.

It’s been a good experience. I’ve worked with (goalkeeping coach) Ben Roberts at Yeovil Town before and he was the senior keeper when I was a youngster at Brighton & Hove Albion, so I have a lot of respect for him and he’s a good coach.

The lads have also helped me to settle quickly, especially Christian Dailly, who’s been brilliant, so it was doubly disappointing when he was sent-off last Saturday.

Unfortunately, he saw the red mist but who knows how anyone would react if they were kicked in the face as he was.

It’s not good that Christian’s missing the next five games but that happens in football and I told him that if he didn’t have that bit of anger, and will to win, then he probably wouldn’t have had the career he has.