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Opportunity knocks!

Simon Smedley
27/ 8/2008

TOMMY Rowe knew that a late chance would come County’s way on Saturday at Hartlepool, and when he got that opportunity to knock the hosts’ hopes he made no mistake with an unerring finish in the fourth minute of stoppage time.

Nineteen-year-old Rowe, as has been written many times already, is set for a big future in football, but for now he’s just delighted to be scoring goals for County as he helps fire his team up towards the business end of the League One table.

Of his dramatic, thrilling second goal of the season at Victoria Park on Saturday, Rowe said: "It was a great ball in from Stevie Gleeson. I kind of got the ball stuck between my feet at first so I had to take an extra touch, but luckily the defenders gave me that bit of space and I just hit my shot into the corner.

"I’m very happy, but more so for the whole of the team really.

"I said to Anthony Pilkington with about 10 minutes to go that I thought we’d get one more chance [that was after Rowe had struck the crossbar with a left-foot drive on the hour mark].

"I knew it was coming, but we just needed to bury it. I’m just glad it was me who got that chance to win the game.

"The lads are buzzing now. The gaffer said before Saturday’s game that if we’d lost at Hartlepool it might have been a not bad start, but to win it means we’ve had a good start now.

"The lads are all excited, especially after our performances at Hartlepool.

"Everyone worked hard, and if we can produce that kind of form next weekend, then we can only expect to win against Scunthorpe."

Rowe went on: "We were barricaded in a bit in the first half on Saturday, our shape went a bit and the pressure was on us, but in the second half we tightened up and that allowed us to break out much more often.

"That helped us to get players like myself, Pilks and Steve Gleeson more into the game, and that was much better for us. From my own point of view though, I’m just happy to be playing and scoring at this higher level.

"I’m really enjoying it in League One."

Rowe, who has now scored both of County’s goals this season, will once again have caught the eye of a clutch of scouts who were at Victoria Park on Saturday.

Scottish giants Rangers were one of a number of big clubs known to be in attendance.