Accrington Stanley striker Shay McCartan has been named Sky Bet League Two player of the month for March after scoring six goals in seven matches for the club.
The former Northern Ireland under-21 striker’s prolific strike rate received even more attention as four of those goals came from stunning free-kicks against Barnet, Exeter, Morecambe and Grimsby respectively.
Ex-West Brom forward Don Goodman, who was on the Sky Bet panel of judges, was full of praise for the 22-year-old from Newry.
Goodman said; “McCartan was the top goalscorer in all four leagues in March, goals which drove Accrington up the league.
“His technique from free-kicks rivals the very best on offer anywhere at the moment, and opposition goalkeepers and defenders must fear the worst when they see him lining up.
“There have been many players at all levels of football all over the world who have scored wonderful free-kicks,” added Goodman, “but surely at professional level no-one has scored four in the same month as McCartan did in March.”
McCartan, whose boss at Stanley, John Coleman, also picked up the Manager of the Month award,has now found the net nine times this season which is his best goal return since joining Accrington from Burnley in the summer of 2013.
“I am delighted – it’s nice to get noticed with an award,” said McCartan, who won nine caps at under-21 level.
“I have got the accolades for scoring the goals but it’s a team effort as the defence has kept clean sheets, while the midfielders and the wingers have also been excellent.
“For me, the free-kicks are now going in, whereas before at the start of the season they were going over the crossbar, but I have been practicing hard and now have scored five free-kicks out of my nine goals this season.
“It’s all about confidence and belief, and the gaffer has believed in me to keep taking them.”
