Sears: A Special Moment
Friday, 21st Oct 2016 06:00

When it comes to the highs and lows of football Town striker Freddie Sears is better qualified than most to comment.

Sears had failed to find the net in 38 games prior to scoring his side’s second goal in Tuesday’s 2-0 home win over Burton, the first-ever competitive meeting between the clubs.

He recalled the elation of finally breaking his duck and said: “It was a special moment. It was a long time coming but the most important thing was obviously the three points. For me personally it was great to get the goal, especially as it confirmed the win.

“I had been waiting since last December and that’s a lot longer than I thought I would have to wait. But it’s football and sometimes it happens. I’ve had lean spells before and I’m sure I’ll have them again but it was such a great feeling to see the ball hit the net the other night.

“I hope the goals will flow now. It’s been difficult and playing in a different position has probably hindered me a little bit.

“But the run’s over now and the goal on Tuesday has taken a lot of weight off my shoulders, and hopefully I can kick on and try to get a few more goals.

“It’s never easy, in fact it’s tough when you go so long without a goal. But I kept believing, working hard and putting in the extra hours with the gaffer and TC [Terry Connor]. You just keep hoping it’s going to come.

“There have been chances where I haven’t scored, whether it’s been poor finishing on my part, or the goalie’s made good saves, and sometimes I’ve just been unlucky and hit the bar or the post. I always believed it would come and I’m delighted the wait is finally over.”

Sears admitted he had been on the receiving end of some mickey-taking banter from his colleagues, adding: “There’s been a little bit of that but not much. Everyone wants to do well and for me to do well and the team to do well.

“You could see from the reaction to my goal the other night — everyone got involved in the celebrations and it was big for everyone. Not just for me and the others players, because the fans were brilliant too.

“It just shows what it can be like in football, going from low to high in a matter of seconds. It came out of nowhere really — Burton at home on a Tuesday night isn’t a game where you might think you are going to get too many special moments but that’s what it was for me.

“You could see how relieved everyone was. Bart ran the length of the pitch to join in the celebrations and that summed it up. There are no bad eggs in our dressing room and we all work hard together.

“Going five games without a win or even a goal put us under a lot of pressure and it lifted with us scoring and picking up three points. The place was rocking at the end and we want more and more games like that.”

Sears had a special mention for the supporters who stuck by him through the lengthy lean spell and never called for him to be axed.

“The fans have been brilliant with me from day one,” he said, “and it’s obviously clear that I’ve been playing in a different position, probably working a lot harder than I’ve been used to doing.

“I remember missing a sitter against Brentford last year and the fans were still chanting my name then on Tuesday, after the goal and long after the game had finished, they were brilliant again.”

Photo: TWTD

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