Ross County striker Liam Boyce dedicated his four goals against Inverness Caledonian Thistle on Friday evening to his Uncle who sadly passed away last week.
The 26-year-old, whose four-goal blast took his tally for the season to 21, admitted his goal celebrations were tinged with sadness as he remembered his Uncle.
Boyce said: “The celebration was for my uncle Thomas. The whole family were watching. It’s also tough for my father losing his younger brother you don’t expect your younger brother to die first.
“That’s the first time I have scored four goals,” added Boyce, following the 4-0 victory over bottom-of-the-table Inverness, “Before I came here I’d scored one hat-trick. I’ve just been lucky with the wingers we have putting the ball into the right areas to attack it.”
Meanwhile in England Conor Washington scored his eighth goal of the season as Queens Park Rangers secured their Championship status with a 2-0 victory over Jamie Ward’s Nottingham Forest at Loftus Road.
“It was a crucial victory for us to get over the line,” declared the 24-year-old, “the boys were all buzzing at full-time.
“We knew what we needed to do and when we came off the pitch and saw the other results, it shows just how important it was for us.”
“I wasn’t sure how the ball got to me to be honest, but once it did I was confident I would finish it, it was a big relief!
“I knew I could take a touch and draw the keeper, and thankfully it worked out that way.”
In League One champions Sheffield United reached 100 points for the season thanks to a late winner from former Derry City defender Daniel Lafferty, his fourth of the campaign.
Also on target was Josh Magennis who made it ten for the season with the opening goal in Charlton Athletic’s 3-0 home success over already-relegated Swindon Town.
Two other Northern Ireland international also reached double figures for the campaign over the weekend, midfielder Matty Lund who earned Rochdale a point at home to Bradford City and Ben Reeves who was amongst the scorers as MK Dons recorded a 4-1 win at Walsall.
Bolton Wanderers 3-0 defeat of Peterborough United yesterday meant they clinched the second automatic promotion place in League One ahead of Conor McLaughlin’s Fleetwood Town who now face Bradford City in the play-offs later this week.
Winger Shane Ferguson will be joining McLaughlin in the play-offs after Millwall’s dramatic 4-3 victory away at Bristol Rovers secured them sixth spot a point ahead of Southend United.
Elsewhere Josh McQuoid scored his first goal for Stevenage as they kept alive their hopes of a League Two play-off place with a point in a 1-1 draw at Yeovil Town while former under-19 international Jordan Jones scored his second of the season as Kilmarnock won 2-0 at Hamilton.
Finally, there was good news on the injury front for Northern Ireland boss Michael O’Neill after goalkeeper Trevor Carson returned to action for Hartlepool United after recovering from a shoulder operation.
