HUNGBO STUNNED TO BEND IT LIKE BECKHAM

IN his autobiography, David Beckham revealed his free-kick prowess was honed over hundreds of thousands of efforts spanning across years. Hours of effort down the local park in daylight, and kicking his sister’s Care Bears around her bedroom in the evening, all culminated in the technique that saw him shoot England to the World Cup in 2002 with a late strike against Greece. On Wednesday night, Joseph Hungbo bent it like Beckham with his stunning 35-yard free-kick against Dundee his first-ever senior goal. But how the on-loan Watford winger found the top corner from that range must remain a mystery because he does not practise hitting dead balls. ‘It’s my first professional goal’, beamed the 21-year-old. ‘I didn’t really think it would be one like that! ‘But, to be honest, I actually haven’t practised free-kicks. So I have no idea where that came from! ‘The gaffer (Malky Mackay) had a change in personnel in terms of the free-kick takers and asked me to take it. I took the situation by the scruff of the neck and decided to try and do something.

‘That just so happened to be what I did and it was good. Things like that happen in football and hopefully it’s the first of many. ‘Sometimes it’s just your day. And that was our day. The team was immense.’ County raced into an early lead through Harry Clarke and Ross Callachan before Hungbo’s moment of magic. Two goals either side of the break from Regan Charles-Cook sealed the rout. If the manner of his goal was unexpected, Hungbo was adamant that County were long overdue a first league win of the season. Now he wants them to keep up the good form this weekend at home to a Hibs side that have lost four consecutive matches. Hungbo said: ‘That win has been a long time coming. Recent results haven’t reflected how we have been playing. ‘We’ve been playing well and the manager has belief and faith in us. ‘We put things right at Dundee and we are glad to make the gaffer happy and the fans happy. ‘We are so happy to get our first three points of the season. Hopefully we can take that on to the next game. ‘It was great to score but the most important thing now is Saturday and seeing how we can nullify Hibs.’