This week Raith Rovers released their nominees for their goal of the season competition.
One man features heavily. The first goal on the video is juggled in the air at the edge of the box before being volleyed into the bottom corner.
It bamboozles the Cove Rangers defence and Dylan Easton takes a beat to make sure it is in before celebrating.
It’s the kind of goal that leaves you thinking: “Surely that isn’t going to be topped.”
If anyone does over the next four and a half minutes, it’s the 29-year-old playmaker.
Other contenders
Another volley, again from the edge of the box, once again against Cove, this time kisses the bar on its way in.
Dylan Easton, that is outrageous! 🤩#cinchChamp | @RaithRovers pic.twitter.com/sE4Y0sMVsO
— SPFL (@spfl) March 20, 2023
Easton features on another two occasions, meaning four of his seven goals are nominated.
He has been one of the standouts for Rovers this season, playing off the left in Ian Murray’s 4-2-3-1.
The chart below takes metrics that are used to judge the effectiveness of an ‘attacking midfielder/winger’ and compares Easton’s to the league average.
According to StatsBomb, there are just three areas where he lags behind the league average.
The first two are expected goals and xG per shot. This is unsurprising and a huge reason you end up with goals like this:
The other is ‘open play xG assisted’ which is roughly translated as how likely the player he assists is likely to score.
Again, this is unsurprising given how often he wants to shoot, but seven assists across all competitions is a decent return – and if he was providing more assists, there would possibly be fewer stunning strikes.
Easton has an unbelievable ability to do things that other players don’t even attempt.
It may come at the expense of a few other things but he is the type of player that does things to justify your entry fee.
You can vote for the goal of the season and the player of the year award at the Raith website.
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