ROSS CUNNINGHAM has said his stunning strike against Dumbarton is "definitely right up there" with the best he has scored.
The Kelty Hearts star scored his ninth goal of the League One campaign to set them on their way to victory over the Sons, with team-mate, Scott Williamson, hailing his effort as "probably the best strike I've ever seen".
Cunningham let rip from around 25 yards with an explosive shot that found the back of the net via the post and crossbar, giving visiting keeper, Brett Long, no chance, and he said: "I had a few shots in the first half, and probably didn't catch them as nice as I would like them.
"Then, when Merce (Scott Mercer) plays the ball back to me, I just thought, 'I'm hitting this'.
"I knew, as soon as it left my foot, I got that feeling that it's got to be close, and luckily, it's went right in the top corner.
"It's definitely right up there. For me, I think the one last year (against Edinburgh City in a League Cup tie) where I scored from my own half, that maybe just pips it just for the distance, but it's definitely right up there in terms of the best I've scored.
🚨 HALF-WAY LINE GOAL 🚨
— SPFL (@spfl) July 20, 2023
Ross Cunningham, that is outrageous! 😱#ViaplayCup | @KeltyHeartsFC pic.twitter.com/6bTOtruVvX
"Just at the moment, everything I seem to hit seems to be going in and going for me, and I just hope that continues.
"Like I said, I fancy myself anywhere in and around the box to be at least get on target, and it just seems to come naturally to me to just shoot, and that's my first instinct."
On-loan Queen's Park forward Williamson, who sealed Kelty's win with his seventh goal of the season, said: "It was probably the best strike I've ever seen in my life.
"It was amazing to be fair. From the angle I saw it as well, it was very good. Obviously, then I got a goal as well. I was just happy to when it went in.
"As soon as it went in, I just started doing circles, I didn't know how to celebrate!
"I'm happy with the goal and I'm just happy with the fact we got the win."
Player / manager, Michael Tidser, was as delighted to see Williamson on the scoresheet as he was with Cunningham's contribution, commenting: "The one thing I would say about Scotty is he works his socks off.
"He did lose his way a wee bit. He lost his way a wee bit in training; he wasn't quite at it and I had to give him a jag a few times.
"I had a wee chat with him during the week and I said to him before the game, I said, look, we're relying on you to score goals for us. It's as simple as that, especially the way we play.
"Yes, Rossco will chip in, the midfield will chip in, centre halves will chip in, but you're our talisman.I think he probably got a wee bit of confidence from that, and then obviously gets his goal, and probably has a couple of other wee half chances.
"It was more like Scott Williamson. That's why I brought him to the club. His return's been good, but his target now should be can I get to 10, can I can get to 15?
"If you want to be the top end of that table in these play-off positions, you need somebody to score goals, and him and Rossco are certainly doing it just now."
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