Martin: As a striker coming off the bench, that’s your job – to change the game
Donte Martin reflected on Tuesday’s 3–1 victory over Peterborough after his quick-fire brace off the bench turned the game around and sent Crystal Palace Under-18s into the Premier League Cup semi-finals.
The striker shared his thoughts on both the team’s performance and his own impact.
“To be honest, from the bench I felt like we were digging deep. In the final third it just wasn’t quite clicking, but defensively I thought we were strong.
“I think we were overpowering them for most of the game. We dominated and did a lot of things right – we were just waiting for the finishing touch.
“That’s where I felt I could come in and make an instant impact. As a striker coming off the bench, that’s your job – to change the game. Thankfully I was able to score twice and help get us through to the semi-finals.”
Martin also revealed the instructions he received from the manager when he was introduced in the 69th minute.
“The gaffer told me to go on, run, press and get into the box to score. He was right!
“I didn’t even realise it was two goals in two minutes at first – that’s crazy. But once they go in, the focus is straight onto the next one. You just keep going.”
The brace continues a rich vein of form for Martin, with three goals in his last two games and five in five overall.
“How am I feeling? Buzzing. Confident, hungry for more – and ready to keep it going.”