Luton Shelton was drained after only 45 minutes of action upon his return from a lengthy injury layoff.

But the striker was clearly satisfied as his boyhood club Harbour View FC — boosted by his first-half goal — came from behind to clip fellow former champions Tivoli Gardens FC 2-1 in the Red Stripe Premier League encounter at National Stadium on Monday.

“I’ve been out of the game for the last two years because of injury and now I’m working on my fitness and my confidence to get back,” Shelton, who most recently played for FC Volga in Russia between 2013 and 2015, told the Jamaica Observer after Monday’s win.

“While trying to get back into the game, I said I might as well play for Harbour View to try to help them and also see how much I can get from it. For a first game back it feels very good, and as a striker you always want to get that first goal and after that it becomes easier,” he added.

Shelton, 31, offered little threat throughout his time on the pitch, as he loped about, obviously lacking confidence and fitness following a problematic knee injury.

While lacking the blistering pace that helped him become the Reggae Boyz all-time scoring leader with 35 goals, Shelton soon had a telling impact in his comeback game.

Crafty off-the-ball movement came to the fore when he peeled away from the defence to direct a looping header into the goal to cancel Tivoli’s opening goal from fellow veteran Jermaine Johnson.

Shelton, who sustained a knock, was substituted at the break. However, a second-half strike from Kemar Bennett assured Harbour View all three points and condemned former leaders Tivoli to their second-straight loss.

“It wasn’t a very good game for me because I just started back playing this week, so I don’t have much fitness. It was good to get the goal and I know the rest will come after,” the former schoolboy star explained.

Shelton, who has also played in Sweden, England, Norway, Denmark and Turkey, is one of several Harbour View stalwarts who have returned to help the struggling former champions.

Sean Fraser and Akeem Priestly were on the scoresheet as Harbour View outscored Portmore United 3-2 last week.

“It feels very good because we are way down in the table and we have got some experienced players to come in and give their input. It’s the experience that was needed, because we had a lot of young kids before but now we are able to win,” Shelton told the

Observer.

Harbour View, who have lost 10 of their 23 games so far this season, have achieved two successive wins. They are eighth in the 12-team table with 27 points.