|
In a performance inspired by Cole and Ade Akinbiyi the loan signing from RK Sunderland scored his first hat trick in some seven years, the previous one was for Manchester United in the Champions League, and it was these three goals that captured over half of the vote.
It was his second, and our equaliser, that has won the monthly award and this goal came following the best move of the match. The ball was finally played up to Cole and he played it out wide to Ade on the right and then got into the box and volleyed home the cross.
That goal won 22.9% of the vote and just behind was the final goal of the game with 22.1% of the vote. This came from a quickly taken free kick from Graham Alexander. It was played into Cole inside the box and he turned to hit a first time shot into the bottom corner.
It was a hat trick on the night, and a hat trick in the voting poll with his and Burnley's first taking third place with 13.0% of the vote. This was a pure goalscorer's goal. Cole anticipated that a shot from a long range free kick by Joey Gudjonsson might just rebound to him and as Joey took it he was already on his way into position in the box, and that enabled him to expertly deflect the kick past the helpless Lee Camp in goal.
Three points for the Clarets, three goals for Andrew Cole, and the top three places in the Goal of the Month to go alongside previous winners this season - Ade Akinbiyi (v Oldham), Clarke Carlisle (v Bristol City), Chris McCann (v Southampton), Joey Gudjonsson (v Watford) and Robbie Blake (v Plymouth).