I'm living the dream, says Neil after first goal

Published date13 September 2021
Publication titleJournal, The
The homegrown midfielder has broken into the first team this season and made a huge impact - and at the weekend he chalked up another milestone when he scored his first senior goal in Sunderland's 2-1 win against Accrington Stanley, which sent the Black Cats two points clear at the top of League One.

The 19-year-old latched onto Dennis Cirkin's headed pass on the edge of the penalty area, shifted the ball onto his less-favoured left foot, and fired past James Trafford to score the opening goal after a quarter of an hour.

South Shields-born Neil's family was at the game to share the moment, and when the goal went in he raced to celebrate in front of the South East Corner where he used to sit as a boy.

"It's funny because I sat in the corner that I ran to where I scored my first goal," said Neil.

"It [scoring his first goal] is something I've dreamed of for a long time and I've had to wait a little bit but I'm so glad that went in today and it wasn't a bad one for my first goal.

"I would have taken anything but to score with my weaker left foot puts a cherry on top of the cake.

"I think a lot of people in the squad know that my shooting is something I need to work on.

"Scoring my first goal like that I was a bit shocked. Just the feeling and adrenaline rush of scoring in front of 30,000 people is something I've dreamed of doing. I was just

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FROM BACK PAGE shocked it went in, especially with my left peg.

"My mum, dad and sister were sat together. My nana, her friend and then my dad's side of the family, my grandma, auntie, uncle, so quite a few were there.

""hey are at every home game, and then my mum and dad go to away games so I'm glad I scored in front of all of them."

" Neil was on the fringes of thefirst team last summer but was restricted to a handful of appearances in the EFL Trophy en route to the final, and a couple of outings as a substitute in the league in March. However, he stood out in Sunderland's pre-season under Lee Johnson this summer, both in midfield and as a stand-in left-back, and has carried that form into the campaign after being handed his chance.

But the self-effacing teenager is not in any danger of allowing his rapid rise to go to his head.

He said: "I've got a strong family and friends who keep my feet on the ground. All the lads in the changing room keep my feet on the ground.

"It is hard because when you're reading stuf f and they are talking about you and playing for your boyhood club, scoring your first goal, it...

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