Advertisement

Collins nominated for League One Player of the Month

Dan Barnes.
·2-min read
Collins has scored six goals in his last six games <i>(Image: Camerasport)</i>
Collins has scored six goals in his last six games (Image: Camerasport)

Wanderers forward Aaron Collins has been shortlisted for the League One Player of the Month award for April.

The Welshman scored six goals in as many games for the Whites over the past month, starting with a brilliant hat trick in the 5-2 win against Reading at the Toughsheet Community Stadium.

Collins’ first goal against the Royals, a thumping strike that arrowed into the top corner from 25 yards, was crowned the club’s Goal of the Season at the recent End of Season Awards night.

The 26-year-old also got on the scoresheet against former club Bristol Rovers in the 2-0 victory at the Memorial Stadium, keeping his cool to dink the ball over the onrushing Jed Ward.

Collins’ prolific form continued with a header in the 1-1 draw against Portsmouth after getting on the end of Nat Ogbeta’s cross.

He concluded an impressive month with a thunderbolt to break the deadlock against Port Vale during the final home game of the regular season, cutting onto his right foot and firing past Connor Ripley.

It took Collins a bit of time to adapt to Wanderers’ system following his January move but the Welshman has gone from strength to strength in recent weeks, hitting form at the perfect stage of the season.

He is now up against Blackpool goalkeeper Dan Grimshaw, Oxford striker Mark Harris and Reading midfielder Lewis Wing or the prize.

Grimshaw kept four clean sheets in six games as Blackpool narrowly missed out on a play-off spot, making crucial saves in the wins against Cambridge and Fleetwood.

Harris also scored six goals in as many games to help secure a top-six finish, including braces against Fleetwood and Burton.

Wing netted four times in April, with all four coming from outside the penalty area. The pick of the bunch was a piledriver at Barnsley.

The nominees for the League One Manager of the Month have also been confirmed. Wycombe boss Matt Bloomfield, Oxford chief Des Buckingham, Portsmouth manager John Mousinho and Derby gaffer Paul Warne have all been shortlisted.

The judging panel features Don Goodman, Trevor Birch and Ivor Davies. The winners will be announced on Friday, May 3.