Exeter City striker Sam Parkin feels he is reaping the benefits of regular first-team football, which made missing last week's home defeat to Newport County all the more frustrating.
The 32-year-old striker has been an impressive ever-present since joining the Grecians in the summer, but a slight hamstring strain meant he missed last week's 2-0 defeat to the Welsh outfit.
Parkin's absence was keenly felt, with Exeter struggling in the final third, but the former Chelsea, Swindon Town and St Mirren front man hopes to be back on the field of play for tomorrow's trip to Fleetwood Town.
"It has improved a lot this week, there are a few days to go before the weekend, but I'm hopeful that I will be in the squad for the game," he said.
"It was really frustrating to miss out last week. We have been pleased with the start to the season that we have made, especially the home form, and I was delighted to come here and feature in every game so far. It is always a blow to miss a game, especially with how well we have been doing at home and for me personally, it is difficult when you are building your fitness up and you have that momentum, so to miss the game was a blow. Hopefully, it will just be the one week I miss."
City manager Paul Tisdale will certainly not want to risk Parkin unless he is fully fit, especially with the Devon derby against Plymouth Argyle to follow the long trip to Fleetwood.
Parkin, though, is desperate to get back into it after such a promising start to his City career. It is all a far cry from his time with St Mirren last year, when 17 of his 32 appearances came from the substitutes' bench.
"The more you play, the sharper you feel, especially with the sort of physique I am as well," Parkin said. "When you are a bigger bloke, you can struggle with your sharpness and stuff like that.
"A couple of years ago, I went on loan to Queen of the South when I was coming back from my injury at St Johnstone, I played 15 games for them and you do start to feel like a footballer again. You get your confidence back and you feel like a good player again.
"When you are playing the odd 20 minutes here and there, it is hard to get any kind of rhythm. Last year, I was out of the team for four or five weeks, then in for one and then back out for the same amount of time. It's hard to get any kind of rhythm and any kind of fitness. People expect you to be up to fitness and it is hard.
"When you do play, the pressure then is perhaps even bigger because you have to perform. If you don't have a 9/10 game, then you are out of the team the week after, so it is certainly helping my fitness and my all-round game with the amount of minutes I am getting."
With over 400 career appearances under his belt, and having played at most grounds on both sides of the border, Parkin is certainly blessed with plenty of experience. Yet a trip to Fleetwood tomorrow will be a first.
"I have never been there, but I am aware that they have made massive strides in the last few years and they have good financial backing," he said. "It will be a very tough game and we are expecting a difficult game.
"They are in decent form and second in the league, so it will be a tough ask, but we need to get back to getting some points on the board.
"The following week is a big game as well and one the fans are looking forward to, but all eyes are on this weekend and getting the points at Fleetwood."
