Liam Boyce will continue to have a place in Burton Albion's matchday 18 following his inclusion for Tuesday's defeat to Reading.

The Brewers' record signing was part of a matchday squad for the first time since joining Albion, having recovered from a ruptured ACL suffered in July.

That injury was originally expected to rule him out for the majority of the season.

Liam Boyce walks out to warm up at the Pirelli Stadium

Boyce's place back on the Burton bench is testament to the commitment he has shown to his rehab and recovery, and is an extra boost to Albion's attacking aspirations following Darren Bent's debut on Tuesday.

"He will stay on the bench, certainly," said Nigel Clough after the Reading defeat.

"We haven't got enough players for him not to be.

"And it's brilliant to turn around and see him sitting on the back row of the dugout, rather than two rows back in the stand."

The day before the Reading clash, Clough had suggested they were pencilling Boyce's return in for the Birmingham Senior Cup quarter-final at Hednesford Town on February 13.

And despite him now being available in the squad, Burton will not rush back their record man and risk him being ruled out of action again.

"He's ahead of schedule, which is great, but it also means we've got to be cautious," said Clough on Monday.

"We worry about secondary injuries as much as anything.

"When you haven't done anything since July, all of a sudden you do pick up muscle injuries when you step it up, as much as you train on your own - and how hard he has worked on his own and with Nick Fenton has been incredible.

"But once you step into a session, it's a different thing then."