I’ll give it my best shot!
Jack Barham has set his sights on finishing top scorer at Maidstone after being named National League South player-of-themonth for March.
Barham’s third hat-trick of the season in Saturday’s 4-0 win against Havant took his tally to 15 goals.
That’s some going for a player who missed the first few months of the season through injury, and didn’t get off the mark until midDecember.
He scored four goals in March to win the monthly award, including a late winner in a 3-2 victory over Hungerford, both goals in a 2-1 success at Braintree and the clincher as United beat Dulwich 2-0.
You’d have got long odds against anyone beating Joan Luque in the scoring charts, given the Spaniard’s brilliant form this season.
But Barham is suddenly only six behind his team-mate as Maidstone bid to win the National South title.
With six league games still to go, it’s not out of the question for Barham to pip Luque, who scored his 21st of the season from the penalty spot against Havant.
“I know Luque’s top scorer but I always think if I hadn’t missed all those games, where would I be now?” said Barham, who gave Maidstone an early two-goal lead against Havant.
“But everything happens for a reason and I’m just glad I’m firing on all cylinders now.
“I’m enjoying my football. If I don’t score but we win I’m still happy, but if I can help the team and score as many as I can, that’s what I’ll keep doing. I’ve got
my eye on finishing top scorer, especially league goals, because I think he’s got 19 and I’ve got 15, so I’m slowly catching him.
“It’s just down to me whether to put my foot on the gas but I’m enjoying it, so there’s nothing stopping me at the moment.
“I’m playing games and scoring goals and enjoying myself, and you play your best football when you’re enjoying it.
“I’ve been at Dorking and Dartford in this league and it was a case of proving a few people wrong this season, but the main thing was to enjoy my football
and Hak (boss Hakan Hayrettin) has let me do that.
“When I came back from injury I was in and out, and I had to get my fitness up, but once I got one goal I knew it would start clicking. Hak’s given me the shirt and he’s believed in me.”
Luque, Regan Booty, Sam Corne and Joe Ellul have all signed contract extensions over the past few months.
There have been no talks with Barham yet but that doesn’t worry the player, whose main concern is promotion.
“I’ve not had any discussions
yet,” he said. “For me, it’s a case of enjoy your football and keep playing well.
“In football, once you’re playing well and scoring goals, everyone starts sniffing anyway, including the club you’re at.
“We’ll sit down and speak but my main focus is not that, it’s promotion. I’d love to get this club promoted. The fans have been unbelievable for us. Week in, week out, they turn out in their numbers, home and away.
“It’s a club destined to go up into the Football League, everything about it is really good.”