Ashton's perfect fit with Bellamy

4:50pm Tuesday 17th July 2007

DEAN Ashton is feeling as fit as he has ever been and looking ahead to a new strike partnership with Craig Bellamy.

The 23-year-old striker played his first football in a year, coming on as a half-time substitute for the Hammers at Dagenham and Redbridge on Saturday, and survived an early scare when defender Jon Boardman caught his ankle with a sliding challenge inside five minutes.

Ashton said: "It probably did me a favour to be honest.

"The first tackle was always going to be a little bit funny, but, fair enough, he came through the back of me and I that's what I needed. I felt OK.

"I can run on my own on a football pitch for as long as I want, but until you come out and come up against defenders who are going to kick you and tackle you, then you don't know."

He added: "Physically, I'm definitely as fit as I've ever been. I've lost weight. I've trimmed my body-fat right down and I feel as good as I've ever felt - if not better.

"I've run until I dropped in the summer, I couldn't have done more running.

"It's a case of needing the football side now, the training and the games and getting that feel back.

"It's getting back used to doing what has come naturally for so many years, but after being out for a year it's tough getting the timing right and things like that. It was nice to get 45 minutes under the belt.

"I'm not too worried about not scoring at the moment.

"That will come. The main thing is I went out and I felt good."

Ashton is confident he will be match-sharp for the new season and says there is a buzz of anticipation in the dressing room that was missing last year.

He said: "There's a real good feel about the place.

"A much better feel than there was last season.

"Everyone is looking forward to the start of the Premier League and hopefully having a much better season than we had last year.

"With the players that we've brought in to add to what we've got it's really exciting."

And he is looking forward to linking up with new signing Bellamy in attack.

Ashton said: "I'm definitely looking forward to playing with him.

"He's proven in the Premier League what a good player he is and at international level for Wales as well.

"People have got a bad perception of him, but on the pitch he has shown that he is good enough. Playing him with me or Bobby Zamora or the other way around, it would work."