Stoke City: Nathan Lowe sends 5-word message after goalscoring comeback v West Brom | OneFootball

Lowe took to Instagram after he bagged for the Potters against West Brom on Saturday

Nathan Lowe has revealed how happy he is to be back at Stoke City after scoring in his first game since being recalled from a successful loan spell at League Two leaders Walsall.

Lowe joined the Saddlers on loan in the summer window and proved himself as one of the best players in League Two over the last few months, with individual awards aplenty and 18 goals and seven assists in 30 appearances across all competitions for the club.

His strong fourth-tier form saw Stoke exercise their option to recall him to their own squad last week, with Tom Cannon's own return to Leicester City imminent, and he is now set to spend the rest of the season as a valuable forward option for Mark Robins.

The 19-year-old was named in the Potters' starting line-up for their trip to Midlands rivals West Brom yesterday, and he experienced a dream return to the Stoke team with an early opener as Robins' side battled hard for a point at The Hawthorns.

Nathan Lowe offers reaction to his goal-scoring Stoke return on social media

Stoke started brightly against the Baggies, and their early pressure was rewarded with a goal as Lowe instinctively tapped home the opener in the ninth minute after Junior Tchamadeu's wayward shot had landed at his feet.

The Potters did go on to concede to the hosts in the second-half through Grady Diangana, but hung on at The Hawthorns as Lowe's goal sealed a priceless point in their quest to move away from the relegation zone.

The 19-year-old has only ever scored once before for his boyhood club, and he reacted to the afternoon's events on Instagram, with a five-word message reading "Felt good to be back!" to sum up his feelings after returning with a goal.

Nathan Lowe could be the answer to Stoke's striker problems

Mark Robins will have been encouraged by Lowe's first game under his guidance, as despite the 19-year-old not really being able to affect the game other than his early goal, the finish for the opener alone was enough to show that he knows how to find the net in the second-tier.

Stoke are not blessed with a host of striker options as it stands following top-scorer Cannon's return to Leicester, with Lowe handed a start on Saturday over Niall Ennis, who has recently been linked with an exit, and fellow youth product Emre Tezgel, who does not yet look ready to lead the line in the Championship, while Sam Gallagher is still sidelined through injury.

With that said, and with star winger Million Manhoef also still out, Stoke need somebody to step up to score goals as they aim to return to form and pull away from the bottom three under Robins, and Lowe could well be that man.

Following the West Brom game, the Potters' boss spoke of his excitement at Lowe's progression at Walsall, and how it was no shock to him that he earned his side a point with the early strike.

"He's obviously come back full of confidence from playing for Mat Sadler at Walsall. I think they've done a really good job with him. In return he's done brilliantly for them, giving them goals and assists. His confidence has grown and he's a confident boy anyway," Robins told StokeonTrentLive.

"He's come back in and I can't say it's too much of a surprise that he's got himself into good positions because that's what he's been doing week in, week out. This is a different level but he's got himself into a really good position to score. It was pinging around the box one or two and he's reacted really well, finished it great.

"It's a really good start for him and I'm really pleased for him. An academy graduate coming through, still only 19 and he's got a lot to learn but he's done pretty well today against a difficult opponent."

Those words will serve as huge encouragement to Lowe, who himself has insisted that he has "gone away a boy and come back a man" in his time with the Saddlers, and it certainly looks as if his goal has earned him the credit in the bank to continue to start games at Championship level this season.