Hat-trick hero Nicky sinks the Seasiders
LUKE Williams hailed striker Nicky Ajose as a “rare breed of player” as the forward’s hat-trick helped Swindon Town beat Blackpool.
The 24-year-old now has 19 goals this season and sent Robins home happy after completing a late win at the County Ground.
Tom Aldred’s early header and a penalty from Danny Philliskirk sandwiched Ajose’s first two, but he popped up in the 88th minute to give his side three points.
“Nicky knows when to make his move, ”Williams said.
“He’s got that striker’s instinct and he gets in the right place at the right time, because he’s thought it through.
“Nicky is a rare breed of player that gets calmer in the box when most of us panic when we get in there.
“But somehow Nicky manages to work in reverse and that’s a very valuable gift to have as a striker, to be able to assess things quickly in the box.
“It was disappointing to concede twice, but there were far more positives to take than negatives from that performance.”
A perfect start was handed to the visitors as they took the lead when Aldred thumped a header past Lawrence Vigouroux from a corner.
But 15 minutes later, a howler from captain and goalkeeper Colin Doyle saw him fumble a Jonathan Obika cross from the right to let Ajose equalise.
Ajose had a couple more chances before halftime, with the better being tipped just over by Doyle. Swindon started the second half confidently and the pressure told as Ajose nipped in at the back post to poke home Bradley Barry’s cross just after the hour mark.
However, four minutes later Philip Gibbs awarded Blackpool a penalty after Clark Robertson was shoved over, with Philliskirk rocketing his kick down the middle.
It looked like the Robins had blown it, but a good run by Obika set up Ajose to bustle his way round the box in the 88th minute and squeeze home a winner.
Tangerines boss Neil McDonald said:“The first goal we gave to them as the ball came into the box and bounced off Colin’s chest and the lad has popped it in.
“But overall I thought they were a little but more clinical than we were.
“We have created chances and should’ve got something out of the game as we scored twice away from home.
“We have defended better and we could have done better on the two other goals.
“We’ve been punished and that is frustrating knowing we have had a decent performance with the two goals away from home, but we go home with nothing.”