Basingstoke’s viral star Paul Hodges revealed some ill-fitting boots were the secret behind winning the Huck Nets Goal of the Season at the Non-League Paper’s National Game Awards in association with Isuzu.
Hodges scooped the award for his outrageous long-distance effort that saw the midfielder score from the edge of his own box to seal a 3-1 win over Dorchester Town at the end of April.
The goal was viewed thousands of times online, as the ball slowly trickled across the line with the Dorchester ‘keeper in the other box attacking a free-kick.
The 30-year-old insisted it was more than simply a big clearance up the pitch with the clocking ticking into added time but admitted he may have to share some of the credit with captain Simon Dunn.
“It was a bit of a weird and wonderful one,” said Hodges. “They still had an outside chance of the play-offs so sent their goalkeeper up for a free-kick into our box.
“Our centre back Billy Upton has got up really well and headed it clear, it’s bounced on the edge of the box and I thought I may as well just boot it.
The goal was viewed thousands of times online, as the ball slowly trickled across the line with the Dorchester ‘keeper in the other box attacking a free-kick.
The 30-year-old insisted it was more than simply a big clearance up the pitch with the clocking ticking into added time but admitted he may have to share some of the credit with captain Simon Dunn.
“It was a bit of a weird and wonderful one,” said Hodges. “They still had an outside chance of the play-offs so sent their goalkeeper up for a free-kick into our box.
“Our centre back Billy Upton has got up really well and headed it clear, it’s bounced on the edge of the box and I thought I may as well just boot it.
