WALTHAM ABBEY | PLAY IT AGAIN SAM

We speak to the four-goal hero

It was an afternoon to remember for Sam Shaban on Saturday as his four goals inspired Waltham Abbey to a 5-2 away win at AFC Dunstable.

The 27 year-old grabbed a first half hat-trick before adding his fourth within ten minutes of the restart to secure the points for his side.

The victory moved The Abbotts up third place in the Pitching In Southern League Division One Central table with five wins from their opening ten League games.

For Shaban, who joined the club from Barking ahead of the current campaign having previously spent time playing in Lithuania, it was the first time that he had scored four times in a game.

“I once scored five in an Under-23 game but this is the first time I’ve scored four at senior level,” Shaban told us. “It was great to get the goals, but the most important thing was that the team got the three points.

“The first goal was a side-foot after a good cross into the box, the second came pretty quickly afterwards as I was able to capitalise on an error in defence.

“Then right on the stroke of half-time I followed up a shot and was able to profit from the rebound.

“For me the fourth goal was the best of the bunch; it was another inviting cross into the box and as the ball fell to me, I volleyed it into the top corner with the outside of my foot.

“I am really enjoying my football this season and I know that there is still a lot more to come from me.

“As a team we are playing some really attractive football and we know that on our day, we can beat anyone at this level.

“It’s still early days in the season, but we’ve had a decent start and we want to be able to build upon this now.

“I know it’s a well-used cliché, but we have to just take it game-by-game and keep picking up three points on a consistent basis.

“We know that we have the ability and talent within the squad to be right up there come the end of the season and push for promotion.”

Shaban and his team-mates face another mouth-watering game on Saturday as they play host to a Cirencester Town outfit that sit just one point and a couple of places below them in the table.

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