Monday 10 Oct 2022

NI Player Watch | Paul Smyth on target with spectacular strike

Winger Paul Smyth scored with a spectacular overhead kick as Leyton Orient claimed a point in their League Two contest against Doncaster Rovers at the weekend.

The Northern Ireland forward, whose stunning first half strike took his tally for the season to five, admitted after the game that it was definitely the best goal of his career.

"I think that is the best goal I have ever scored," declared the 25-year-old. "I saw the opportunity after the defenders dropped into the box so I thought I would come short.

"As the ball came across, I took a terrible touch, I saw it in the air and I thought why not give it a go and it went into the net. I’ll claim that I meant it though!”

Also in League Two in England on-loan midfielder Ethan Galbraith scored the only goal of the game - his first since joining Salford City from Manchester United - to claim all three points at Northampton Town.

In the Scottish Premiership Kyle Lafferty was on target in Kilmarnock’s 2-2 home draw with Hearts while in the Championship Billy McKay fired home his fifth goal of the campaign to give Inverness Caledonian Thistle a Friday night victory over Partick Thistle.

In the Premier League in England Jonny Evans was in the Leicester City side who remain in the bottom three after losing 2-1 at AFC Bournemouth despite leading at half-time. Defender Jamal Lewis was an unused substitute as Newcastle United put five past Brentford.

Burnley goalkeeper Bailey Peacock-Farrell (below) kept a clean sheet in his first league start of the season as the Clarets defeated Coventry City 1-0 and Jordan Thompson returned to the Stoke City team as a sub after missing the last two games with a head injury picked up in the recent international against Greece.

Striker Shayne Lavery weighed in with an assist for Blackpool’s third goal after being used off the bench in the Tangerines' 3-1 success over Watford at Bloomfield Road.

Elsewhere in the Championship 18-year-old Brodie Spencer was an unused substitute as Huddersfield Town picked up only their third win of the season after a 2-0 home victory over Hull City. 

In Finland, goalkeeper Conor Hazard, who is coming towards the end of a season-long loan at HJK Helsinki, kept his 13^th clean sheet in 33 appearances following a 1-0 away win at FC Haka.

Elsewhere Northern Ireland Under-19 international Sean McAllister was on the scoresheet for the first time this term as 10-man Everton won 4-3 at Crystal Palace in the U21 Premier League.

Finally, Northern Ireland Under-21 striker Ciaran McGuckin, who made the loan move from Rotherham United to Scarborough Athletic last week, made his debut for the National League North outfit as they defeated Kettering Town 5-0 at the weekend.