Asamoah ends 21-year wait for Blues’ Premier treble
Waterford FC hat trick hero Maleace Asamoah pictured with the match ball. Photo: Noel Browne.
Maleace Asamoah became the first player to score a hat-trick for Waterford FC in the top flight since Alan Reilly back in 2003 and the first Englishman to net a treble for the Blues since Syd Wallace against Home Farm back in 1977, but his hat-trick against Dundalk on Friday night was all about the three points.
Speaking after the game, the hat-trick hero said: “It’s my first-ever professional hat-trick so I’m buzzing with that. It’s a big moment of me especially to get it now in the third win running. It’s really big and I’m delighted to be honest.
“I think that I’m ready for the attention now. I think that I need to prove to people that I’m ready to improve and show everyone what I’m about. I feel a little bit that I wasn’t delivering before tonight because I went on a bit of a goal drought.
“Obviously I scored against Sligo, but before that I thought that it was going to get up to it. The goals weren’t coming, but tonight I was able to perform. I’m trying to do that every game, but there’s certain games that you have to play a certain way. Today I really thought it was a good day.
“I knew that if I could get at the Dundalk full-back that I would have chances. The aim was to get at the full-back and even at half-time the message was to try get me the ball. I always felt that I had the beating of the full-back. It was the game plan.
“Obviously we need to try get the crowd behind us so an early goal is always going to be important. To be honest it can be a bit quiet, but if you can get the crowd going here at the RSC, I think that it can make the game that little bit more easier.”
Asamoah believes that the second goal before half-time was a big moment. “It was a great way for us to finish the first-half especially when you are drawing. To get a goal before half-time brings a lot of energy going into the second-half.
“It allowed us to go out and perform in the second-half. The celebration was Connor Parsons for that second goal is something that we’ve been wanting to do for ages. It was great for him to assist me as well so we had to do it.
“The third goal is a great goal for me. I got the ball and I looked up. I saw the keeper off his line and I executed it really well. It happens sometimes on the training pitch, but to do it in front of the fans is fantastic.
“There was good confidence going into the game today especially with the two wins behind it and the win at home was important today. For myself I’m 15 games in and it took me time to get used to it at the start and it was a bit slow. I’m picking it up a bit and I’m getting used to it every single day.”
Asked is the pressure of winning at home after some in-different results lifted a small bit after the win, Asamoah said: “Of course it is because our home form and results wasn’t the best. Obviously to win tonight is very big. We’re hoping now that this result will help the change in the run of home form so hopefully we can keep it going.
“We’re up to fourth in the table now. We’re holding our own in the division. I’m trying my best to help the team and I’m working hard on the training pitch. I’ve got some great players around me so it’s making life in this league that little bit easier.
“Football can change in the blink of an eye and these three wins for us as a team is massive because every team on their day can beat anyone. We’ve got to treat every day as if we can perform and get the wins.
“I’ve six goals now and I had a target before the start of the season. I’m on target to try reach that so we’ll see how it goes. I think that we never can think too low over a loss or too high over a win. We have to say level and try keep it going. We have to continue to work hard on the training ground and on the football pitch every single week to see where it takes us.”
