Could Marcus Goodall lay claim to the fastest goal in Highland League football history with his Buckie Thistle strike at Nairn County timed at 14 seconds?
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MARCUS Goodall took 14 seconds to find the net for Buckie Thistle at Nairn on Saturday – and may have created Highland League history.
Some are saying it could be the quickest-ever goal in north football, and it was certainly the fastest that Jags manager Graeme Stewart has ever seen.
Nairn kicked off the weekend match and played the ball forward, it was collected by Buckie centre-back Jack Murray and he delivered a pass down the wing. It was missed by a home defender, drawing the goalkeeper out of his penalty area and the pacey Goodall got there first to provide the finish.
“It was clocked at 13-point something seconds so we’re calling it 14, and somebody was telling me it might be the quickest goal in Highland League history,” said Stewart.
“It’s the quickest goal I’ve ever witnessed, and it would be nice for Marcus if it’s the quickest ever.
“He put away a great finish after their goalie came out and got caught in no-man’s land.”
Goodall’s lightning strike set up Jags’ 12th consecutive league win to close the gap on leaders Fraserburgh ahead of Wednesday’s big match between the top two.
Yet Stewart admitted it needed angry words at half-time to get his team to build on their great start.
“The rollicking at half-time maybe worked. It’s as angry as I’ve been in a long time,” he added. “I just felt we played so poorly, didn’t do the basics and I was really upset by that first-half performance.”
Jags responded to their manager’s dressing down with another rapid goal, within a minute of the restart through Andy MacAskill, who also hit the woodwork twice in the match.
Scott Adams quickly added a third and although Andy Greig pulled one back for Nairn, sub Sam Urquhart sealed it with his 20th goal of the season and Buckie’s 100th in all competitions this term.
