Newcastle defender Titus Bramble is hoping for a clean bill of health as he attempts to make his mark in the Barclaycard Premiership.The 21-year-old former Ipswich player has been out since October 29 with a hamstring injury picked up in a 2-1 Champions League victory over Dynamo Kiev.

By Dave Allard

Newcastle defender Titus Bramble is hoping for a clean bill of health as he attempts to make his mark in the Barclaycard Premiership.

The 21-year-old former Ipswich player has been out since October 29 with a hamstring injury picked up in a 2-1 Champions League victory over Dynamo Kiev.

Bramble, a £4.5million summer signing, played in the reserves' 3-2 defeat at Manchester City last night.

"I feel fine – it's good to be back playing again and to get 90 minutes under my belt," he said. "The main thing was to make sure my hamstring was all right, and I've no problem with that.

"Now I have to keep working hard in training and have another couple of reserve games, and then hopefully I'll be ready.'

"It has been disappointing to be out because I was hoping to be fit for the Christmas period. I had played a few games in the first team and was working hard to prove I was worth my place.

"Then I got a reaction the day before the Manchester United reserve game in mid-December, which I had been due to play in, and that was really frustrating.

"Hopefully now I can get my place in the team and stay injury-free for the rest of the season.'

Bramble is desperate to make his mark and push the men currently in possession, but knows he cannot attempt to run before he is walking.

"You can't just come back and play first-team football straight away," he said. "We have another reserve game on Monday and I'll get another game under my belt and see what happens from there.

"I've had a few injuries in the last year and I just want to put that all behind me now."