Aaron Thompson was on cloud nine after bagging four goals in Ford’s 6-2 comeback win over Tandragee Rovers Reserves in the Junior Cup on Saturday.
The former Queen’s frontman reckons his fourth was the pick of the bunch after he completed the perfect hat-trick of scoring with his head and both feet as the west Belfast side, now groundsharing at Crewe United, hit back after finding themselves trailing 2-1 to the Mid-Ulster League second string side.
It wasn’t exactly a one-man demolition job however, with Fra McCrudden and Ciaran Brown also getting in on the act.
“I scored with my right foot as well which is usually just for standing on so that was a collector’s item,” laughed Thomspon (33).
Despite the one-sided look of the scoreline, he insists it was no walk in the park.
“Give Tandragee credit, they came out and they were in our face the first half,” explained Thompson, a Border Cup winner during his time at Dromara.
“We’re up at Crewe now, they’ve looked after us, it’s a really good set-up and Tandragee were enjoying it up there, they are young side, they were in our faces and knocking it about and using their pace in the first half so I think it was just experience that told in the end I think.
“They went 2-1 up and I think it spurred us on a bit and we pushed on from there.”
Thompson’s haul brought his tally for the season to six as he sets his sights on some personal and club targets.
“In my head, you go, ‘I’ll start with 15, and then when you get to 15, then you go to 20, and then 25… but at this stage, I’m just taking it one game at a time,” added the Ford striker.
“As for the club, Gary (Kelly) would love, love, love to get a trophy on board but it’s been a tough start for us. We were going great in pre-season and then our goalkeeper got hurt, and then one of the boys who plays up front with me (Robbie Gallagher) got badly hurt.
“So you’re putting square pegs in round holes. Yesterday it was good to get it over the line and last week against Donaghadee we were outstanding and they scored a last minute winner so we just need to push on.”
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