COOPER'S GOAL DELIGHT

BLACKPOOL: LIAM COOPER POST MATCH 10.11.14

Defender says his strike against Blackpool was a career best...

Defender Liam Cooper spoke of his delight after opening his United goalscoring account in impressive fashion during Saturday’s 3-1 win over Blackpool.

Cooper opened the scoring on nine minutes with a fine half-volley from outside the area, firing beyond the helpless Joe Lewis after Alex Mowatt’s cross had deflected into his path.

The 23-year-old’s strike was his first since arriving at Elland Road from Chesterfield over the summer and only the eighth of his career to date.

Asked if it was the best goal he has ever scored Cooper replied: "Yeah, I would definitely say so.

"I didn’t have much time to think about it. Obviously the kid did well to block the cross but it managed to fall to me.

"I took a touch and hit it and hoped for the best and it managed to go past the keeper.

"I knew I’d connected well with it but where it was going to go, I didnt’t know. But it went in and I’m absolutely buzzing.

"It was a bit ironic really because the manager said to me ‘I fancy you for a goal today’ and I thought ‘alright, fair enough’.

"It managed fall to me. I thought Mowatt would have given me it a bit earlier but the cross fell to me, I took a touch, I hit it and luckily it went in."

All three United goals came inside a dominant first half as Souleymane Doukara and Mirco Antenucci also joined Cooper on the scoresheet to help end a winless run of eight games.

"I thought we made a real good statement in the first half," said Cooper.

"We was a bit off it in the second half, but we had to man up and we did that, which is something we have lacked at times.

"It’s always good to come in victorious, especially just before the international break.

"I don’t think anybody would live with that first-half performance."

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