GILCHRIST | “It Was A Strong Team Performance”

Result | Gainsborough 0-3 Southport

By James Cave (Southport FC . Net )

Striker Jason Gilchrist led Southport to victory at Gainsborough on Saturday, with a clinical hat-trick that propelled him to the top of the National League North scorer’s table.

The striker’s three goals saw him overtake Stockport County’s Jason Oswell and York City’s Jon Parkin, taking Jason’s league tally to 21 for the season.

Reflecting on the win, Gilchrist said: “It’s good to go top of that table, it’s what I want to do and where I want to be. I just want to get as many goals as I can and help the team out as much as I can. For me the season’s gone well. My target for the start of the season was to get 25 goals, I’m not far off that now, so I’m hoping I can push on now and, who knows, see if I can go and get 30!”

But Gilchrist was quick to highlight a strong overall performance from the entire team: “We’re really pleased with the performance, obviously it’s good to get the goals in. But I think it was a good team performance. The lads did really well. We had to battle through for the first 15-20 minutes but then we came out on top and settled a bit after the goal.”

“I’ve settled in really well. I get on well with all the other lads. There’s quite a few new lads that have come in that I know from previous clubs and I’ve got on well with everybody really. We’re becoming quite a close knit group now, so I think we’re going to do well.”

“I prefer to be in the middle, but the gaffer said that for the game they want to put me on the left, then come inside where needed and work off Samo [Jack Sampson], but if that’s where he sees me playing I don’t mind playing out there. I’ve got three goals so clearly it’s worked well for us today.”

Earlier in the season Jason became the first ever Southport player to score a hat-trick on their league debut, netting all three goals away at Tamworth in early December. Jason’s second goal against Gainsborough was also the club’s 2,400th Non League goal.

In closing Gilchrist highlighted his relationship with Kevin Davies as one of the reasons for his continued scoring success.

“I’m really enjoying working with Kevin, it’s one of the things that really attracted me to Southport, with his playing career, it can only help me really. He’s done so well over the years I thought he may be able to teach me a few things and it’s clearly working!”

Even with another hat-trick to his name, Gilchrist cuts a shy and modest figure after Saturday’s comprehensive victory. Keen to praise the team and his manager both on-and-off microphone, the 23-year-old striker from St Helens is slowly but surely becoming a fan favourite.