KYLE Patterson reckons there is plenty more to come from him in a Worcester City shirt.
On loan from Nuneaton Town until the end of next month, the forward has come to life in his last two matches with a goal on each occasion.
He bagged a late second with a tap-in during the 4-2 New Year’s Day defeat at Gloucester City before supplying a sublime finish to get City up and running in their 3-0 victory at Colwyn Bay last Saturday.
Not only was it the perfect way to celebrate his 27th birthday on Sunday but it was also a sign of a player who is finding his feet.
Few who witnessed his first three matches at St George’s Lane would have believed Patterson capable of his latest strike, a cutely curled effort into the top corner which dipped under the bar at the last moment.
But his quality and deft touch, not to mention a light-hearted celebratory swagger, was a welcome surprise and deservedly capped his best performance for his temporary club.
Now he is hoping it will inspire him to deliver even better as a revitalised City seek to keep the pressure on their league rivals.
He said: “It was a good goal, the wind probably had a little bit to do with it but I did mean to put it there so I was quite pleased with it.
“I’m very much a confidence player and I think that with the more games I play I will improve and get more goals.
“I’m on loan from Nuneaton but I was out for about three months through injury and I’ve been sent here to get a few games and match fitness. I’m really enjoying my time here.”
Patterson’s route to Worcester isn’t exactly orthodox, coming as it has via a stint with LA Galaxy in the Major Soccer League and the slightly less salubrious Tamworth.
“I went to the US from West Brom when I got released from the academy,” he added.
“I went to university in the States and from there I got drafted into the MLS and luckily ended up at LA Galaxy with David Beckham and Landon Donovan. It was a great experience for me.
“I didn’t ever play in the same team as Beckham, he was at AC Milan for the first half of the season and that’s when I played the most. After that I was more in the background when he came.
“The Blue Square Bet North is different but it’s still football and something I enjoy doing.”
Given his recent exploits, Patterson is certainly in line for a sixth successive start when City take on play-off rivals Altrincham at the Lane on Saturday.
The teams are level on points in the race for the top five and only three points separate sixth-placed Worcester from Boston United in 11th.
Patterson said: “I think we’ve got a good team here, I think we’ve got a chance of getting in the play-offs.
“Any team in and around the pack are capable of getting in there and then anything can happen.”
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