Walsall forward Conor Wilkinson feels a weight has been lifted off his shoulders after he scored his first goal in almost a year against Gillingham last weekend.
The 28-year-old scored the clincher in the Saddlers’ 2-0 victory over the Gills last weekend as the team got back to winning ways.
It was a special moment for Wilkinson, particularly in front of the home fans and it’s a goal that will live long in his memory.
“It was a moment I’ll never forget,” he said. "It was 364 days, just short of a year and massive pressure lifted off my shoulders and it was a delight to get that first goal back.
“Once I skipped the defender, I knew where the keeper was going to dive so in my head, I had the whole time to reverse it back where I came from because I knew the keeper was never going to go that way. Lucky enough, it didn’t take too much of a bobble.
“It was never a scenario where I thought I was going to score a 96th minute goal. It was always to try and get back into the team and it will come somehow and some way.
“It came in the 96th minute against an old club, at home and for it to be our first win in how ever many games it was, it felt extra special.”
Wilkinson will be itching to be involved when the Saddlers take on Grimsby Town tomorrow afternoon and the striker was full of praise for the Mariners after their efforts in the FA Cup.
“They’ve done ever so well in the FA Cup, they’ve beat Premier League opposition and not anyone can do that so fair play to them, they’ve been at it this season,” he commented.
“They’re going to be tired, they’ve had a tough week and played Sunday, Wednesday and Saturday so it’s up to over to take it to them and keep the Gillingham run going and try and end the season as strong as we can.”
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