Pic: Andy Nunn
YOU'D forgive Lee Bradbury and Havant & Waterlooville fans for thinking they had signed the wrong player after their win at Oxford City last Tuesday.
As well as drafting in Theo Lewis – who saw red in the same game – on loan from Ebbsfleet United, boss Bradbury also signed Woking midfielder Godfrey Poku on a one-month deal.
Poku, well-known across the National League as a combative midfielder, is more used to picking up yellow cards than match balls. But how ironic football can be.
Despite recently missing out on Gosport Borough's goal machine Justin Bennett, Bradbury has sharpened up his attack with the addition of a man whose last goal came for St Albans against Weymouth on October 31… 2009!
Undoubtedly drafted in to add some steel to Bradbury's midfield, Poku netted a wonderful volley after just four minutes before his cross-shot deceived keeper Laurie Walker and flew in shortly after.
And if that wasn't enough, he completed his hat-trick in the 52nd minute, finishing well to give struggling Havant a vital 3-1 victory.
The reaction from former team-mates and managers on Twitter told the whole story.
Freedom
“Nobody could believe it when they saw the score and who had got the goals – I even shocked myself!” Poku, who also scored in the Hawks win against Maidenhead on Saturday, told The NLP.
“I never score goals so I expected to get the reaction I did. It was just one of those nights when everything you do comes off.
“The gaffer at Havant just told me to go out and play my own game. I was playing with a bit of freedom and it was a dream debut.
“Even when I scored the second, a hat-trick never went through my mind. That's not my game at all, I normally don't go past the halfway line!”
Woking boss Garry Hill will no doubt be keeping an eye on Poku during his short spell on the south coast. And the 24-year-old is just glad to be getting games under his belt after struggling to get into the Cards side this season.
“Havant came in for me and I knew it would be a great opportunity so I was more than happy to go,” Poku, who reckons his belief in God played a part in his dream Hawks debut, added.
“I'd like to go back to Woking and force my way into the team. I've just got to work hard and see what happens – maybe I can start playing as a striker!”
