PLYMOUTH Argyle defender Krisztian Timar is enjoying 'every minute' of his return to football after being ruled out for seven months.

Timar, 29, suffered a complete tear of a hamstring while on loan to Oldham Athletic at the start of January.

And it was not until the Pilgrims' pre-season tour to the Netherlands last week the Hungary international returned to action.

Timar played the whole of Argyle's 1-0 defeat against 2008/09 Dutch champions AZ Alkmaar in Anna Paulowna.

His performance, after such a long lay-off, earned praise from new Pilgrims' boss Peter Reid.

But Argyle have a lot of options at centre-back, with Kari Arnason, Reda Johnson, Bondz N'Gala and Marcel Seip all available to Reid.

So Timar, a former Pilgrims' player-of-the-year, is far from guaranteed first team football.

However, Timar was relieved to have overcome such a serious injury and is desperate to impress Reid.

He told Herald Sport: "I'm really happy to be playing football again.

"I have worked very hard to come back from the injury and I enjoyed every minute on the pitch (against AZ)."

Timar was playing only his second game for Oldham when his hamstring snapped.

He said: "It was a rare injury because the hamstring was totally torn and it needed to be operated on.

"Unfortunately, the recovery time is a really long one.

"And I also wanted to make sure when I came back that I could give the same level of performance as I did before the injury.

"So I had to take my time for a good recovery," added the Budapest-born defender.

Timar's return to action was further delayed at the start of pre-season by a toe injury.

He had to sit out Argyle's first three friendlies before playing against AZ.

Timar said: "I was really confident I would be okay (against AZ) because I had worked really hard over the summer to make the hamstring strong.

"There was a little bit of tiredness in the muscle at the start of pre-season, which isn't unusual, and I rested a few days.

"Then I had a problem with my toe, but now I'm fine.

"I didn't know I was going to play the full game, but I was really pleased. It was good for my fitness."

Reid had not planned to let Timar complete the 90 minutes against AZ in his comeback match.

But the Pilgrims' boss admitted afterwards he thought the defender "deserved" to finish the game after his solid display.

He said: "I was really pleased to hear that and I will just keep working hard."

Timar was partnered at centre-back against AZ by Kari Arnason, who was returning from a thigh strain.

Arnason had been injured in Argyle's opening pre-season game, a 2-0 win away to Truro City on July 10.

Timar said: "Arnie worked hard to come back as well. There are a lot of good players in the defensive line so everybody must play really well."

AZ were talented opposition for Argyle but the only goal that separated the sides was a controversially awarded penalty in the seventh minute.

It was awarded for some pushing in the penalty area, but no-one seemed to know who had shoved who.

Timar said: "It was a good work-out for the defensive line. I think we did really well.

"Apart from the really soft penalty decision from the referee we kept a clean sheet.

"They didn't have many big chances, apart from the last minute save from Romain (Larrieu)."

Argyle have two more pre-season games this week, the first of which is away to Hereford United on Wednesday.

They will then play Neil Warnock's Queens Park Rangers at Loftus Road on Friday.

Timar should get another prolonged run-out in at least one of those matches.

"I hope as my fitness levels get higher and higher, my performances will get higher and higher," he said.