Martin still making a mark in Oz

NEW Socceroos star Martin Boyle has passed the anthem test with flying colours and he’s still flying following a huge first week of action for Australia.

Scottish-born Boyle, whose father was born in Sydney, made an instant impression for the Socceroos with his direct running and nose for goal.

He laid on a late equaliser in his debut off the bench against South Korea last Saturday and scored two goals and set up the other in Australia’s 3-0 win over Lebanon on Tuesday in his first start.

“It’s not really sunk in yet, if someone told me this was going to happen five months ago I would have laughed at you,” Boyle said. “Probably when I get on the flight home, it will all just come flooding back, but I’m extremely proud to represent this country.”

The moment Boyle felt he arrived as a Socceroo was when he had to belt out Advance Australia Fair in his initiation in front of his new teammates.

“When I got up there and I got a standing ovation from the boys I knew I was part of the family,” Boyle said.

At a time when Australian fans are fretting over who will score goals in the post-Tim Cahill era, Boyle presented himself as a forward option at the imminent Asian Cup.