Youth product Taylor Charters, who turns 20 next month, marked appearance number 24 for his hometown club with his first ever senior goal – but we’re not too sure he’s going to get away with the ‘bullet of a header’ description he attached to it when he spoke to the press after the Tuesday night home game.
More a case of being in the right place at the right time, nevertheless it was a good finish as he showed aggression and determination to be the one who made contact as the Brennan Dickenson corner delivery came in.
“It was brilliant to finally get on the scoresheet for Carlisle and hopefully there’ll be many more to come, and that will include in the league as well,” he told us. “I’ve had appearances before where I probably could have had a goal, especially against Walsall where I had a few chances.
“I class myself as a goal scoring midfielder so it’s something I need to do more often. But it’s just good to get it. I’m buzzing to be honest, it’s a great feeling to score my first senior goal, especially in front of the fans. Them being there makes it even more special.
“And it was right on my head, a bullet header, bottom corner! To be honest I didn’t know much about it but you’ve just got to make sure you’re in the position to score and I was, so they all count.
“I didn’t even know it had gone in either. I just heard the rest of the lads and the fans cheering. When I turned around it was in the back of the net, so that was pleasing.
“It’s always nice to get a goal but along with that I know there are a lot of other parts of my game that I need to keep working on.”
That first ever goal came from a moment of instinct, but that certainly wasn’t the case as he walked forward to take shoot-out penalty number 10 – a kick that would earn a bonus point should it find the back of the net.
“You know what, I wasn’t that nervous as I was walking up to it,” he insisted. “I knew I had to pick a spot and smash it as hard as I could to get it in.
“We went over to Gav at the end of the game and the lads who wanted to take one put themselves forward. Gav decided the order and I was last. I just wanted to smash it as hard as I could in the corner.
“I’d stayed out with Brad Young and Josh Dixon after training on Monday to practice them, and that helped. All of us knew where we were going to go if we took one so it shows that practice makes perfect.
“I’ve been in the academy since I was eight and I’m very proud of the fact I’ve got my goal. I’ve been watching the team from when I was about 14 in the Warwick End, and again in the youth team from up in the corner of the EWM.
“When you see other lads scoring and fans cheering when they do it’s brilliant and you want to be part of it. It is a great feeling. There was quite a few of my family here and hopefully they’re proud of me as well.”
Having waited patiently for his chance this season, he explained: “It’s been quite frustrating because you work hard in training week in and week out, but it’s hard work to get in the team because we’ve got such a good squad.
“I know all I have to do is keep working hard and not get disheartened if I’m not involved. Hopefully I have impressed in this one so that I do get a few more appearances.
“The good thing is I know Gav and the gaffer believe in us and they’re always encouraging us, but it’s down to us to keep doing well in training and things like that. Then, when an opportunity does come, like this, you have to take it.
“In first team football you’ve got to make sure every single aspect of your game is on point. I think my performance was ok out there but there are still things to work on individually and as a team.
“That showed when we were two goals up but we let them back at us. It’s very disheartening because we worked so hard only to let it slip. That’s why it was good to do what we did with the penalties.”
With him being a fan of the club, as well as determined to push on with his career, he admitted that he’s at an age where he wants to be making his mark on a regular basis.
“I’m obviously desperate to play games,” he said. “I’ve been on the bench quite a bit and when you get that close it makes you even more eager to get on.
“Like I say, I know I’ve got to keep working hard in training and I’ll hopefully get some more appearances. In the league it’s the first team as the manager sees it to win the points, and when you’re not in that you know these games are the ones where the gaffer is going to give you an opportunity.
“That means you need to prepare properly, do everything right and put in a good performance. I’ve now scored and started so it gives me extra confidence to know I can do it again in the future.
“It’s every single day that you have to keep on doing it and that’s what I’ll make sure I’m doing. You just have to take your chances when they’re given and do the work until you’re in the team.
“You can’t dwell on one game. I’ve got to rest up now and get straight back to it.”
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