Fit-again Lauren Perry has her eyes on Northern Ireland’s No.1 shirt once more

Lauren Perry has been thriving since moving to Montrose

Shannon Turner of Wolves started Northern Ireland's first four Nations League games

Tanya Oxtoby's side face Montenegro in the Nations League Play-Off

Timing. As a goalkeeper, Lauren Perry knows how crucial that skill is to her performances on the pitch.

After more than three years out of the Northern Ireland squad and enduring an injury nightmare since winning her last cap while still a teenager, Perry feels she is coming back at just the right moment.

The 22-year-old has earned rave reviews since joining Montrose Women at the start of the season, winning back-to-back nominations in the SWPL Team of the Week, bringing her name to prominence.

All that backs up her feeling that moving from Dundee United to Montrose was ‘probably the best decision that I have made’.

Despite Northern Ireland manager Tanya Oxtoby not deciding on a clear No.1 while Jackie Burns works her way back from Achilles tendon surgery, there was no call-up for Perry.

After further impressive form, she is now back for the Women’s Nations League Play-Off battle with Montenegro — and in a better place than she would have been just a few months ago.

“Even though I was back playing at the start of this season, I think now is the right time for me to come back into the international squad,” said Perry, who suffered a cruciate ligament injury to her right knee two years ago, four years after sustaining the same injury to her left knee.

“I feel like after having a lot of games under my belt, I am now back to the standard of where I was before the injury and I think now is probably the right time, to be honest, whereas beforehand it might have been a bit early.

“I probably would have been ready for the