Pic: Edmund Boyden
FREE-SCORING Grimsby Town striker Padraig Amond says the Mariners’ defence is giving him the platform for his hot streak.
Amond, a free signing from Morecambe in the summer, took his tally to 24 for the season with a hat-trick at Welling United last Saturday.
It was the second time the in-form 27-year-old – who made it 14 in 11 games – has taken home the match ball having scored four against FC Halifax in October.
“The last eight to ten weeks have been a dream for me,” Amond told The NLP. “Every time I go on the pitch I’m almost expecting to score.
“It’s not a cockiness or anything like that, but when you’re on a run like this there’s this confidence that you have. You’re used to hitting the ball in the back of the net.
“The other side is I could go ten games without scoring a goal so you have to enjoy it while it lasts.
“But the lads have been so good defensively it’s kind of taken that pressure off. Where we were free-scoring earlier in the season, we were conceding a couple of sloppy goals so we knew that every game we needed to score two to win.
“We’ve kept six clean sheets in the last seven games and that’s where our recent good form has been built from. It’s not just down to me scoring goals but complete team performances.”
Perhaps most pleasing for the promotion-chasing Mariners is the Irishman’s knack for scoring vital goals in tight games. “
It’s doesn’t make it any better – maybe sweeter,” Amond said. “Every striker wants to score the winner.
Excitement
“When you’re a young fella out in the back garden kicking the ball into the net, shouting this is the World Cup final in the last minute, you score the winner. Everyone has done that so it gives me that extra little bit of excitement when it happens.
“But at the end of it all it doesn’t matter if it’s me who scores the winner, Omar Bogle or James McKeown from a goal-kick. Who cares? As long as we win.”
Town boss Paul Hurst was linked to the vacant post at League Two Notts County before it was filled by Jamie Fullarton.
Amond thinks the 4-0 demolition of Welling last weekend showed the speculation had little impact on the camp – some leg pulling aside.
“We had a little laugh and joke about it on Monday morning, saying ‘Oh unlucky gaffer,’ and a few of the lads were asking, ‘Were you going to take me with you?’” Amond said.
“But he’s put more effort in than anyone. At the minute he’s constantly on the phone trying to improve the team.
“I owe him a lot of because he took a punt on me at the start of the season and I’d like to think I’ve repaid him a bit so far. But I can do more to repay him and (assistant) Chris Doig.
“He’s had the disappointments of missing out in the last few seasons while he was joint manager, and now on his own, so he deserves promotion as much as any of the lads who’ve been here the last few years.”
*This article first appeared in The Non-League Paper on Sunday, January 17
