Ebbsfleet United midfielder Jack Powell on his free-kick record
06:00, 05 September 2017
updated: 06:03, 05 September 2017
Try taking a free-kick off Ebbsfleet's Jack Powell at the minute.
The 23-year-old midfielder has already scored two this season and looks likely to add that tally every time Fleet win a set-piece within range.
There are plenty of capable practitioners in Daryl McMahon's squad but the way Powell is taking them right now, no-one's getting the ball out of his hands.
Powell said: "I put myself forward for all the set-pieces. I practice a little bit on the training ground and I’ve worked out a little technique that I use for myself and it seems to be paying off.
"I’ve got a little run-up that I do, a few little steps that I take and the angle I approach the ball and being able to go over the wall and the keeper’s side as well.
"I try to keep the keepers guessing. I’ve scored a few that have gone over the wall and a few that have gone round the wall.
"I scored a few last year and that’s two this year. It’s just having that confidence to step forward and being a little bit selfish with them as well. There’s a couple of lads who would put themselves forward but having scored as many as I have in the last season-and-a-bit, I’m always going to jump on them and hopefully I’ll score some more."
Powell's timing has been as impeccable as his technique so far.
He came off the bench to score with his first touch at Dagenham & Redbridge as Fleet came from 2-0 down to draw 3-3.
And with his side trailing Eastleigh 1-0 on Saturday after a poor 45 minutes, Powell swept an even better free-kick over the wall, in off the crossbar and beyond former Hibernian and Barnet keeper Graham Stack to make it 1-1 in first-half stoppage-time. That game finished 2-2.
He said: "Hitting the target, you give yourself a chance but probably more so at this level than last season. It’s a step up and the keepers are better so you’ve got to keep them out of their reach.
"The main thing is getting loads of pace on the ball. If you can hit it and it goes to the goal from your foot within a couple of seconds, it sometimes gives the keepers no chance."
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