Talented Stevenage youngster Arthur Iontton said his first senior goal in Boro’s 3-0 win over Carlisle on Saturday capped off a ‘fantastic week’, after he was named Sky Bet League Two Apprentice of the Year last Sunday.
The 18-year-old opened the scoring with just 16 minutes gone at the Lamex, when he latched onto a Kurtis Guthrie pass to drive home after a superb team move.
His first Boro goal came just six days after picking up the Apprentice of the Year gong at the EFL Awards in London – the second consecutive Stevenage winner after Ben Wilmot collected the award last year.
Talking to CometSport about his goal, Iontton said: “It’s a fantastic feeling. It’s been a long time coming, but hopefully there’s many more to come.
“Kurtis found me with a great pass, I’ve called for it and his awareness was fantastic. It was a great move.
“I’ve had a couple in training like that and I’ve gone for it, smacked it and luckily it’s gone in.
“It’s been a fantastic week and that goal has just topped it off.”
Iontton was left with a nasty bruise on his jaw after clashing heads with captain Scott Cuthbert in the first-half.
The teenager laughed off the war wound, joking: “Scott’s a big unit at the back. I wouldn’t mess with him, or you’ll end up like this.”
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The Enfield-born midfielder was also pleased the side’s performance and believes the final play-off place is not out of reach yet, with Boro five points behind seventh-placed Exeter City with four games to go.
“It was a fantastic performance from all the boys. I thought we put a massive shift in and the result speaks for itself really,” said Iontton.
“There’s always a late runner in the play-offs. I think we’ve got to take it game by game, but if we keep playing the way we have, we’ve got a great chance.
“We’re a physical side, we are clinical now and we need to keep going.”
Iontton’s boss Dino Maamria – who the 18-year-old refers to as ‘the gaffer’ – was delighted with the youngster’s display, saying: “Since my first or second game in charge last season, I’ve really liked him.
“He showed what he can do today.
“You have to preserve with those young players and manage them physically.
“What a fantastic way to score his first goal and I’ve told him he should be proud of himself today. He’s different class for an 18-year-old.”
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