The full-back sustained a knee injury in training when at Charlton Athletic in February 2022. It came 18 months after her last call-up to the Northern Ireland squad and it ended any chance of a return for the Euro 2022 finals.

Now at Reading, Dugdale battled back and her impressive performances at the Championship club have launched her back into the international reckoning.

The 27-year-old made her return in a green shirt in Friday's Nations League play-off first leg win over Montenegro and it was a moment she savoured.

"Obviously an ACL injury is quite a common one in women's football," Dugdale said.

"Unfortunately it was a really long injury, which was tough but some brilliant things came out of it.

"I'm just trying to enjoy my football as much as possible.

"I think everyone says you appreciate it, but until you have a long-term injury where you're out of the game for that long, you don't know how much you miss it and how much you appreciate it.

"When it is a hard day of training or a match or whatever, reminding yourself of that helps you to keep going."

'It's been amazing'

Dugdale said she was aware that she might be on the radar of new Northern Ireland manager Tanya Oxtoby when the Australian was appointed in August and that filled her with hope that she might return to the international fold.

Her performances for Reading saw her earn a call-up for the crucial Nations League play-off with Montenegro as Northern Ireland look to retain their place in League B.

Just over two years since the knee injury that ended her dream of the Euro 2022 finals, she made her international return in the first leg in Podgorica as a substitute with 10 minutes to play to win her 25th cap.

Dugdale's introduction allowed left back Demi Vance to push further up the pitch and she ended up scoring in injury-time to give Northern Ireland a two-goal buffer heading into the second leg.

"It's been amazing to be back in with the girls and getting back on the pitch," Dugdale added.

"I didn't expect it. So it was brilliant to be given the opportunity and Tanya put her trust in me to come on the pitch.

"It was about coming on and enjoying it, but also trying to put into work the principles that they've taught us and build on that. I was delighted.

"The girls were doing so well to stay patient in possession. It was just about picking that lock and staying patient.

"When you are sat there on the bench you are thinking, 'right, if I were to come on where are the gaps, how might I be able to help?' It was about sort of easing into it. I wasn't trying to do anything too special too early. I just enjoyed it."

Reading's Rachel Dugdale (right) in action against Northern Ireland team-mate Rebecca McKenna, who plays for her former club Charlton Athletic

The second leg takes place at Windsor Park on Tuesday and Dugdale said playing at Northern Ireland's National Stadium should play into the home team's advantage.

"Having a bigger pitch compared to the first leg should mean that we can spray the ball a bit more and find some more gaps in their defence and hopefully create and score even more goals than we did in the first leg.

"Ultimately, we're saying our heads it is 0-0 and you can't take anything for granted.

"Maybe away from home, they might feel less pressure. We're prepared for them to come out firing on all cylinders.

"It's a really important game. We can't get away with from the pressure of it. Pressure is privilege, as I say.

"I'm really excited for it. We're trying not to focus on the results, but the process of it and just focus on this game rather than sort of the implications of it."