Former Arsenal youngster says he has not scored two goals like today’s in one match since his time in the Gunners’ youth team

Luke Freeman says he has been trying to add more goals to his current total this season before hitting two special strikes against Bradford City.

The winger had only scored one league goal before the trip to Yorkshire, against Crewe Alexandra in October, and had hit 16 shots on target but 56 off target so far this season in League 1.

Yet today (Saturday) the former Arsenal player doubled his league tally for the season with a 25-yard effort right into the top corner before scoring another goal from a neat free-kick routine late in the game.

Speaking afterwards about his efforts, Freeman said: “I said I’ve been due a few goals. The manager has said I’ve been lacking in the goalscoring department, I felt that personally because there’s been a lot of chances this year that I’ve missed.

“It’s something that I know myself I need to improve on, so I was happy to get a couple.

“It was a tough game, it wasn’t really a game for playing football. It was about who wanted it more and who worked harder. I thought I was fouled [in the build up for the first goal] I carried on and I was lucky enough to pull off a shot that went in the top corner.

“We work on a lot of set pieces so we’re always trying to come up with new things. [The routine for his second and Boro’s third] is something we’ve worked on as a team, and it’s lucky that it came off today.

“I’ve scored a few goals like that in the Arsenal days for the reserves and youth teams but not in a league game so [it is] another one to add to my C.V. I suppose.”