Victor Adeboyejo waited 455 days for first team football with Barnsley but took just seven minutes to score on his debut.
The 20-year-old came off the bench on 82 minutes against Oxford United on Saturday then made it 4-0 on 89. It was his first senior game since losing 3-1 at Blackpool with Leyton Orient in May last year and his first goal since he opened his career account the previous month against Hartlepool.
He left Orient following their relegation to non-league football and signed for Barnsley later in the year but, despite scoring 18 goals for the under 23s last season, did not make an appearance for the first team who were relegated.
Adeboyejo said: "I couldn't have asked for a better day. It was nice to get some minutes then to get a goal was very special. It made it even more emotional that it has been such a long wait to play first team football again. I was a little bit frustrated last season but I knew it would be a matter of time until I got a chance.
"Last season was a good time to learn about myself and score goals for the under 23s but now the opportunity has come to play in the first team so hopefully I can grab it with both hands and push forwards. Hopefully that goal will put me more in the manager's plans. I want to get as many minutes and goals as I can and get promoted."
Adeboyejo's goal was a tap-in inside the six-yard box. He said: "It was an easy goal to score but I will take 20 of them."It meant a lot to me. When I was 16 I made my debut for Orient in League One and I thought I had scored a goal like that but the ref didn't give it. It was nice to replay that and get the goal."
The youngster is hoping to learn from experienced strikers Tom Bradshaw and Kieffer Moore while also pushing them for a place in the starting 11."They are good to learn off. There is competition for places but they are some of the best strikers in the league and very different to each other. So it is good to learn bits and bobs off them and put that into my game."
