Shropshire Star

Elliott Durrell's wonder goal an internet sensation

It is the kind of move football fans are more used to seeing on Match Of The Day.

Published

But a spectacular winning goal scored by Shropshire footballer Elliott Durrell for Hednesford Town has become an internet sensation after a video of it went viral.

The 24-year-old midfielder, who yesterday signed for Conference Premier outfit Wrexham, scored a stunning goal in stoppage time to clinch a 2-1 win for the Pitmen at Bradford Park Avenue.

And a YouTube video showing highlights of the Conference North game has now been viewed more than 22,000 times with fans from around the world logging on to see Durrell, who is from Shrewsbury and previously played for AFC Telford United, score straight from kick-off immediately after the home side had equalised in the dying seconds of the match. The video shows Durrell receive the ball from team-mate Neil Harvey from the restart and beat four Bradford defenders before scoring from the edge of the penalty area and being mobbed by delighted team-mates and coaches. Hednesford's first-team coach Chris Brindley said: "It was just an amazing moment. And it was even more special because of the time it happened and the circumstances.

"Only 20 seconds earlier Bradford had scored an equaliser and their coaching staff were rightly jumping around on the pitch because it looked for all the world like they'd rescued a draw.

"Then straight from kick-off Elliott went and did that. It was an unbelievable goal.

"In days gone by, before social media, goals at our level would never be seen again, but it's great now that these moments crop up on the internet and are not just seen by the few hundred people in the ground."

Durrell scored 36 goals for the Pitmen last season and is the leading scorer so far in the current campaign with 23, including his strike at Bradford on January 18.

Mr Brindley said: "He's had a great time with us at Hednesford but he's had a bit of a sticky spell with his form lately, so it was great to see him bring that to an end with such a spectacular goal. He is a great player and we were all delighted for him."