Nottingham Forest youngster Aaron Donnelly scored the first goal of his professional career this past weekend after finding the net for Port Vale.
The 19-year-old joined the Vale on loan in the January transfer window and become a regular in the first team, making nine appearances.
The side have struggled on the pitch in recent months, picking up just two wins in League One since the turn of the year before last Saturday.
READ MORE: Forest 'preparing' official complaint as referee in spotlight
READ MORE: Keylor Navas sends 'incredible' Forest message after Everton draw
Donnelly turned that into three against MK Dons, turning the ball into the net in the 22nd minute. Port Vale managed to hold on for the rest of the game and secure all three points.
The Northern Irish defender was an unlikely hero but he was revelling in the moment and celebrated the goal passionately with his teammates. “I was absolutely buzzing when the ball hit the back of the net," he told the club's official website after the game.
"It was bobbling around the box and Wozz [David Worrall] took a shot on goal and it's landed to me. It just fell to my right foot, it fell nice on the volley as well, and thankfully, it went in the bottom corner, the goalkeeper nearly got it, but I was wheeling away in celebration."
He added: “There weren’t many chances in the game, we hit the post in the second half, but I thought we played very well."
“We said after the game, we needed to find a way to win, and we did that. We were building on the last two games, which were two excellent performances we got nothing out of, but today was a different game.
“We maybe didn't play as well, but we got something out of it, you just need to find a way to win, and thankfully we did today.”
Donnelly joined Forest from Northern Ireland semi-professional outfit Dungannon Swifts in 2019 and progressed through the Reds' under-18 and under-21 teams, making his first team debut against Grimsby Town in the EFL Cup earlier this season. he penned a contract extension last year, although the terms of the deal have not been made public.
What do you think? Drop us a comment!
READ NEXT:
