Conor Hourihane targeting even more Aston Villa goals
Conor Hourihane is determined to carry on his stellar pre-season form and be a key source of goals for Villa this coming campaign.
The 27-year-old midfielder was the star of the show at Walsall last night, bagging a hat-trick in a 4-1 victory at the Banks’s Stadium.
The second strike – a 25-yard curler into the top corner – was the pick of the bunch.
“It’s something I work very hard for. It’s a big part of my game,” said Hourihane, who also netted in a 3-0 win at AFC Telford United on Saturday.
“When I score goals it just stands out for me. I work really hard for it, every single day in training.
“It’s nice for my own confidence moving into the season, to get some goals in pre-season.”
Hourihane, who has five caps for the Republic of Ireland, joined cash-strapped Villa from Barnsley in January of last year and found his feet last term after a slow start at Villa Park.
He chipped in with 11 goals as Steve Bruce’s men just fell short on their aim of achieving promotion to the Premier League – and is looking for double figures once more.
“Double figures is what I always aim for. It’s a big part of my game and something that is a big positive for the team,” added Hourihane, who has also played for Sunderland, Ipswich and Plymouth.
“It’s a tough thing to score goals in any league so I’ll be aiming for double figures again this year.”
