Goals from 60 yards always grab the headlines. But how often does scoring one end a year-long goal drought?
That was the unusual feat accomplished by Shrewsbury Town defender Mal Benning, who found the net for the first time since November 2023 against Blackpool in EFL League One on December 4 with a free-kick from well-inside his own half – that spun off the turf 20 yards from goal, before picking up pace and looping over stranded Everton loanee Harry Tryer in the Pools goal. Giving his side a fourth minute lead against veteran boss Steve Bruce’s Lancashire outfit.
In the end the strike counted for nothing as Blackpool staged a second-half comeback with the wind at their backs in the second-half against a Shrewsbury side whose ranks include former Rangers midfielder Jordan Rossiter, and ex-Aberdeen man Funso Oji – with relieved gaffer Bruce admitting that the conditions played a huge part in the game, and saying that his side struggled to adapt.
The former Newcastle United manager said: “It was never a classic was it, but on a night where you wouldn’t want to send a lifeboat out it’s been difficult to play football. And we didn’t adapt well enough in the first-half, but it was always going to be difficult against a gale-force wind.
“We used the conditions to our advantage in the second-half and managed to recover from an awful start. We were a little bit naive in the first-half and tried to play too much in difficult conditions. The wind is your worst nightmare when it’s swirling around and it was difficult for everyone concerned.”
On social media Pools fans were left fuming with 22-year-old keeper Tryer – echoing Hugh Burns’ iconic ‘what’s the goalie doing’ line from RangersTV in 2021 , with one saying: “I’m sorry. That actually might be the most embarrassing goal I’ve ever seen what on earth are we doing?” Another adding: “My 84 year old gran would’ve saved that” and a third fan saying: “That one is inexcusable for a professional keeper.”
Shrews boss Gareth Ainsworth, who was heavily linked with the Hearts job following the sacking of Steven Naismith, said: “We created many chances in the first-half, we started like a train. The goal is a bizarre goal, but we work hard on set pieces. It was a tough night, and the conditions played a part.”