The August winners of the Sky Bet EFL Goal of the Month Award are:
Cauley Woodrow – BARNSLEY v Charlton Athletic – 17 August
Barnsley striker Cauley Woodrow is the Sky Bet Championship Goal of the Month winner for August, receiving 48% of the public vote.
Instinct took over as Woodrow saw the ball ricocheting towards him. Snaking out his foot, he drew it to him delightfully before calmly sending an unerring shot into the top corner.
Lead Sky Bet EFL Goal of the Month judge and Sky Sports Pundit Don Goodman said: “With an injury to Kieffer Moore half way through last season and his subsequent departure over the summer, the responsibility for scoring Barnsley’s goals fell on the shoulders of Woodrow and despite starting the season with two blanks, he more than made up for that with a stunner to open the scoring against Charlton.
“His reaction to the loose ball and touch to hook the ball over his shoulder so he could strike at goal is remarkable and the volley more than matched up to the touch!”
Woodrow said: “It was one of them, instinctive. It happened really fast, all I remember was Cam [Cameron McGeehan] taking a shot which took a deflection, then I managed to get a touch on it and swivelled to volley into the top corner. When I saw it go in, I was surprised myself. It’s really nice to get an award for scoring a goal.
“Whenever I score I ask our analysis guys to send me the footage so I can send it to my family if they aren’t at the game. I think they couldn’t believe it either when they saw it!
“I won one last season, but I have never won an award in the [Sky Bet] Championship so it is a nice moment for me. I have a room in my house with all my football stuff in there, so it’ll go in there nicely.
“Technically, it doesn’t really mean anything for the team as I’ve only scored one goal. I want to crack on and score a lot more, whether that’s tap ins or screamers, we need the wins and some more points.”
Woodrow beat off competition from Reading’s George Puscas and Derby County’s Jack Marriott.
Ben Close – PORTSMOUTH v Tranmere Rovers – 10 August
Portsmouth midfielder Ben Close is the Sky Bet League One Goal of the Month winner for August, receiving 45% of the public vote.
A spectacular fusion of physics and skill. Close had to judge the flight of a bouncing ball as he ran towards it at pace and then time it to perfection with the outside of his boot.
Lead Sky Bet EFL Goal of the Month judge and Sky Sports Pundit Don Goodman said: “It’s always worth keeping one of your most technically gifted players on the edge of the penalty area from your corners, as invariably most clearances will be bouncing or reaching a player on the full.
“Close proved just that, as he met an attempted clearance with such a powerful volley that it gave the out-of-position ‘keeper no chance.
“Indeed, it was his second volley from outside the area in under a week, following a similar goal in the midweek EFL Cup win against Birmingham.”
Close beat off competition from Peterborough United’s Marcus Maddison and Doncaster Rovers’ Niall Ennis.
Luther James-Wildin – STEVENAGE v Macclesfield Town – 31 August
Stevenage right-back Luther James-Wildin is the Sky Bet League Two Goal of the Month winner for August, receiving 45% of the public vote.
Macclesfield were quite happy when a free-kick was laid square to Wildin 35 yards from goal. That was until he stepped forward to unleash the purest of strikes into the top corner.
Lead Sky Bet EFL Goal of the Month judge and Sky Sports Pundit Don Goodman said: “It’s fair to say that Stevenage have found goals hard to come by this season, this was only their second goal in six games, but it was a goal right out of the top drawer from their right back Luther James-Wildin.
“The Macclesfield players probably wouldn’t have sensed any danger as he received the ball a very long way from goal and despite a desperate attempt to close him down his thunderous strike was unstoppable as it flew into the top corner.”
James-Wildin beat off competition from Bradford City’s Clayton Donaldson and Cheltenham Town’s Ryan Broom.