Football Luke back with Gas after 'positive' Northern Ireland week

LUKE Southwood has lifted the lid on his latest international experience with Northern Ireland where he watched on as the Green and White Army secured an important victory over Luxembourg in World Cup qualifying before coming up against the likes of Joshua Kimmich and Florian Wirtz in a defeat to Germany.

- DanHARGRAVES

Southwood was named in Michael O’Neill’s latest squad alongside Bailey Peacock-Farrell and Pierce Charles and consequently missed Bristol Rovers’ 3-2 win at Newport County last weekend.

The 27-year-old didn’t get to add to his one senior cap during the camp as Peacock-Farrell started both matches in Luxembourg City and Cologne, but enjoyed a valuable learning experience training and travelling with the squad as well as watching on from the bench.

“It was really good,’ the Rovers goalkeeper, who joined from Bolton Wanderers this summer, told club media. “It was a positive trip and a really good week away with the lads. It’s always really enjoyable when you go away with the boys, and it was a positive trip after picking up three points, which was ultimately the goal of the trip.