Aimee-Lee Peachey is making up for lost time after missing almost two years of football through injury and recovery.

The talented midfielder was hit by a car which knocked her off her bike and caused her to suffer a broken hand, with the recovery process seeing bone taken from her hip to be placed in her hand.

The accident occurred when she was aged 18 and resulted in her missing a significant part of her football development, but now she is back and realising her potential.

Peachey joined Crusaders Strikers from Glentoran Women over the summer and she got off to the perfect start by netting the winning goal against Linfield Ladies on her debut.

“I was buzzing with the way it started,” she explains. “The girls accepted me into the club straight away and I immediately felt comfortable.

“My focus has always been on getting regular game-time this season and becoming a regular in the division, then hopefully that can attract the attention of Northern Ireland.

“I’m still a young player, I know there is plenty of time for me to continue to develop and improve as a player – this Crusaders setup is the best place for me to do that.

“I was familiar with so many of the girls through Northern Ireland youth teams right up to Under-19 and I knew exactly what sort of dressing room I was going into.”

Peachey had progressed through the Crues academy up to Under-15 level before moving to the Glens, where she was part of the same age group as future internationals Kerry Beattie, Danielle Maxwell and Joely Andrews.

Peachey was regarded as a star from that age group and was immediately brought into the first-team setup at the East Belfast club, starting in crucial league games and in the Irish Cup final, aged 16.

“I was really nervous going out onto the pitch at Windsor,” she reflected. “But being involved in those games at such a young age was a really great experience.

“Joely and Danielle were with me in those squads, but the more experienced players at the Glens really made me feel comfortable in that team and after the early stages you just played your normal game.”

The 20-year-old is partly valued for her versatility on the pitch but she added that she does have a preference that is being acknowledged by Jonny Tuffey’s Crues.

“I must have played every position on a football pitch and obviously if you are in the team, you adapt to that position and do your best,” she continued.

“But I probably am strongest when playing in central midfield, with the opportunity to push forward – I feel that I am not restricted in that sense at Crusaders.

“There is definitely a feeling at the club that the girls are enjoying their football because they are allowed to go out and play the way they want to play, to do what they are best at.

“This is a very young team with lots of talented young girls coming through – that is reflected in our training sessions, with all 22 players coming to every slot.

“There is competition for places throughout the squad and everyone is fighting for their positions, rather than just being handed at.”

The Crues sit in third spot in the Danske Bank Women’s Premiership and remain in the hunt for silverware in two cup competitions.

“We are happy enough to be in third spot and still have the opportunity to win trophies, but we know this group of players is capable of even more,” added Peachey.

“We are capable of challenging the top two teams in the league and you could see that with our game against Cliftonville – we were the better side in that match and should have won it, never mind getting a point.

“There was a penalty opportunity at 1-1 that we could not score and then they got a late winner, but even their players were admitting they were second best in that game.”

Next up for the Strikers in the Danske Bank Women’s Premiership is a trip to Derry City on 5 October.