Luckless Luton left-back Lewis Emanuel stepped up his recovery from a badly broken big toe by playing just over an hour in the Hatters' reserves' 3-1 home defeat to Ipswich Town in the totesport.com Combination League on Tuesday.

The powerful wideman has not played since the season-opening 1-1 draw at AFC Wimbledon after a freak accident at home left him with an horrendous double break to his big toe.

But he was glad to finally get back on the pitch, saying: "I was just pleased to get through. He (Kevin Watson) asked me at half time did I want to come off and I felt I could do a bit more.

"It's fine. I'm just pleased to get through it really. I was just pleased to get the 60 minutes under my belt."

He admitted he had no idea how serious it was when he injured his toe and lamented that it wasn't his right foot.

He said: "When I did it I didn't know.

"If it was my right I would have been back earlier. Because it's my left I use it for everything."

And although there is still some floating bone left in the toe he is hoping it will heal OK and he will be able to push for a first team place.

Emanuel said: "There's a fragment of bone still in there. The injection is to take away the pain and let me play.

"Hopefully it will heal and sort itself out. Really I just wanted to get back playing and get match fitness."

And first team coach Watson was delighted to finally have him back.

He added: "I thought Lewis did terrifically well today. It was always the plan he was going to have 45 minutes or an hour. We don't want to take liberties with any injury."