There have been some wonderful goals across the Sky Bet Championship this season as teams battle to secure Premier League football.
As the Football League season draws to a close, we’ve picked out 11 of the best goals seen at Championship grounds during the 2014/15 campaign.
1. Michael Antonio
NOTTINGHAM FOREST v Fulham, September 17
The livewire winger produced a moment of magic to fire Forest to a 5-3 victory at the City Ground. Having let a two-goal lead slip to trail 3-2 with 13 minutes left, Antonio brilliantly brought down Michael Mancienne’s pass on the edge of the box, turning and swivelling before coolly slotting between a Fulham defender’s legs and into the bottom corner.
2. Harry Arter
Watford v BOURNEMOUTH, September 20
The Cherries midfielder is no stranger to spectacular strikes and this was no exception. Receiving the ball in the middle of the Watford half, Arter controlled and set himself up to strike a left-footed rocket into the top corner. It put his side in front before Watford hit back to draw 1-1 at Vicarage Road.
3. Russell Martin
NORWICH v Brighton, November 22
After Brighton only half-cleared a Jonny Howson corner, the Canaries captain produced a piledriver from 28 yards which flew into the top corner. It put City 2-0 ahead with the game ending 3-3 at Carrow Road.
4. Jordon Ibe
Watford v DERBY COUNTY, November 22
The on-loan Liverpool winger calmly controlled a cross-field ball from Johnny Russell, before edging it round the defender from the corner of the box and placing it perfectly beyond the Watford keeper. No wonder Brendan Rodgers was in such a rush to get him back to Anfield.
5. Almen Abdi
Fulham v WATFORD, December 5
The Swiss midfielder curled a delicious right-footed shot into the far top corner from 22 yards as the Hornets thrashed 10-man Fulham 5-0 at Vicarage Road in front of the live TV cameras.
6. Joel Lynch
HUDDERSFIELD v Watford, January 10
Having scored the club’s goal of the season in 2013/14, the centre-back was at it again, this time producing an acrobatic overhead kick from Mark Hudson’s flick-on which went in off the underside of the crossbar to seal a 3-1 win at the John Smith’s Stadium.
7. Patrick Bamford
MIDDLESBROUGH v Millwall, March 3
Brilliant build-up play by Lee Tomlin and Albert Adomah saw the former’s cross dummied by Kike, to allow the unmarked Bamford to casually stroke home left-footed to put Boro on the way to a 3-0 home victory.
8. Bakary Sako
WOLVES v Fulham, February 21
A wonderful Wolves team goal which saw them produce 20 passes before Sako collected the ball 25 yards out, checked inside and produced a left-footed finish. It put Wolves 2-0 ahead and they went on to triumph 3-0 at Molineux.
9. Rodolph Austin
LEEDS v Watford, February 28
The Jamaican midfield powerhouse chested the ball down on the angle of the right side of the penalty area and unleashed a fantastic volley over goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes. It put Leeds 2-0 up before Watford fought back to win 3-2 at Elland Road.
10. Bradley Johnson
NORWICH v Ipswich, March 1
The combative midfielder could have had his own Goal of the Season compilation but we have chosen this strike in the East Anglian derby. Johnson latched on to Lewis Grabban’s pass across the area to thump a shot into the roof of the net as Norwich beat Ipswich 2-0 at Carrow Road.
11. Cameron Jerome
NORWICH v Nottingham Forest, March 21
The City striker nonchalantly back-flicked a Martin Olsson cross into the far corner of the net from eight yards. It doubled his side’s lead and they went on to prevail 3-1 at Carrow Road.
Source: SNAPPA
