Jake back in a happy place as Moors finally WAKE up!

IT wasn’t just the two goals, the match-winning display and the first three points of the season for his new club that brought the widest of smiles to the face of Jake Wakeling and his Solihull Moors teammates.

- By COLIN STONER

It was also the realisation he could enjoy his football once again.

The 23-year-old forward has faced some testing times in the past two seasons after joining Peterborough following a breakout year at Swindon, but the chance to sign for Moors was the opportunity to kick-start his career.

It wasn’t quite the smoothest of introductions as Moors parted company with the man who signed him, Matt Taylor, less than 24 hours after his debut.

But two stunning goals sealed victory at Boston last week and now Wakeling is desperate to help chalk up a first home win of the season when Morecambe visit Damson Park today.

“I’m excited to get back playing. There's nothing better than scoring, nothing can replicate that. I feel like I’m playing the game for the first time again,” said the striker.

“I’ve not played enough in the last two years so to get the chance to play consistently, I feel like a 12-year-old getting a new pair of boots.”

Wakeling spent his youth football years at Albion, only to be released aged 18 after four years in the academy. He thought about packing his boots away for good before Alvechurch tempted him back into playing and, barely six months later, he had been snapped up by then-Premier League club Leicester. Ironically, Moors were also interested at the time.