A NON-league striker has netted more goals this season than Erling Haaland and Marcus Rashford combined.
Player-coach Brett Pitman, 35, has 43 in just 34 games, making him the top scorer in Europe.
His tally for Hampshire side AFC Portchester dwarfs Haaland’s 27 in the Prem for Man City and Man United star Rashford’s 14 — and is almost double Chelsea’s entire total.
Brett, who helped Bournemouth get to the Prem, said: “Compared to when I was playing in the top flights of football, it is pretty easy to score goals.”
The ex-Bristol City star has five hat-tricks, one more than Haaland, firing his side to the top of the Wessex Premier League, England’s ninth tier.
He has scored “headers, tap-ins, long rangers” but added: “I don’t want to get too carried away, Haaland is playing in the Premier League. I’m not.”
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He has bagged five hat-tricks – one more than £64m Haaland – and has scored twice as many goals as Chelsea this season.
And if his stunning goals per game ratio of 1.25 continues his tally will reach 60 by the end of the season.
Pitman, originally from Jersey, signed for the tiny village of Portchester – known for its medieval fortress – partly as a favour to a mate.
Before making the leap from Bristol Rovers last season he had played for Portsmouth, Bournemouth and Ipswich Town.
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He said: “I’m playing for a great team at the moment and that really helps.
“We have got good players all over the pitch and it’s not just me that has been scoring goals.
“I expected to score a lot of goals when I moved to Portchester, I still feel pretty fit.
“I’ve scored a variety of goals this season, headers, tap ins, long rangers.
“I know what I’m good at now and I’ve got the experience to know where I should be on the pitch.”
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk