Hugill honoured to win top goal award

Preston striker Jordan Hugill pulls the trigger on his goal against Aston Villa in January

The striker’s solo effort against Aston Villa at Villa Park in January was voted best of the campaign by PNE fans.

With many of Aiden McGeady’s goals being long-range efforts, Hugill had strong competition.

North End were trailing 2-0 to Villa when Hugill struck in the 64th minute.

He ran from the halfway line before cutting across the face of the box and powering a right-foot shot into the top corner.

For good measure, Hugill then scored with a header to earn PNE a 2-2 draw.

Earlier in the season, he found the net in the clash with Villa at Deepdale, that game finishing in a 2-0 win.

Hugill told the Post: “There were a few good ones on the shortlist – I think Geads had four nominations alone.

“So to get nominated in the first place was good and to go on and win the award was even better.

“I’ve scored a few good goals this year and to win goal of the season was nice.

“With that goal, I got the ball on the halfway line from Daniel Johnson’s pass, got my head down and went on a run.

“A bit of space opened up for me and as I got closer, I thought, ‘Why not?’ and had a shot at goal.

“To see it hit the back of the net was brilliant and the goal got us back in the game.

“To then get the equaliser with a header was great.

“The trophy I got for goal of the season actually had ‘First goal at Aston Villa’ engraved on it to make sure I knew which goal had won!”

North End have scored some very good goals this season.

McGeady could easily have walked off with the trophy any other season.

His goal on his debut against Barnsley in September set the standard.

Tom Barkhuizen’s opener against Reading won March’s goal of the month competition in the Championship.

After voting closed, there was McGeady’s 20-yard shot at Huddersfield, and Stevie May’s curling effort from  outside the box against Rotherham at the weekend caught the eye.

Said Hugill: “When they were announcing the winners of the awards, I was trying to push Stevie up to go and get it.

“His goal was brilliant on Saturday and it showed that all his hard work in coming back from such a serious  injury is paying off. We were all delighted for him.”