Friday 14 April 2017 07:29, UK
Preston North End striker Tom Barkhuizen is the Sky Bet Championship Goal of the Month winner for March, receiving 51 per cent of the public vote.
Barkhuizen scored his first Preston goal in style. Finishing off a fluent move, his sweeping shot from the edge of the area traced a beautiful arc on its way to goal.
Barkhuizen said: "It's always nice to get personal accolades, I mentioned before that it would have been nice if we had picked up a few more points along the way but from a personal point of view it was a really good month and I think it showed a different side to my game that I can score different types of goals.
"It was an important goal in the context of that game, they were on top and we broke and thankfully it went in the top corner and that set us on our way.
"It was a really nice way to introduce myself to the home fans and get off the mark at home because I think it's really important as a forward player to get a few early goals and show people what you can do."
Barkuizen beat off competition from Blackburn Rovers Marvin Emnes and Rotherham United's Joe Newell.
Sheffield United left-back Daniel Lafferty is the Sky Bet League One Goal of the Month winner for March, receiving 70 per cent of the public vote.
Lafferty watched the ball drop to him 35 yards out following a corner and struck it unerringly into the bottom corner with the outside of his left boot. Unstoppable.
Lafferty said: "I'm delighted to win the award, I've never won a personal accolade, so it's very nice. I don't score many so it's a good one to get.
"The pitch that day wasn't great so I thought I'd just take it first time as it came out from the free-kick and fortunately I caught it well and it found its way into the back of the net."
Lafferty beat off competition from Oxford United's Chris Maguire and Rochdale's Nathaniel Mendez-Long.
Plymouth Argyle striker Graham Carey is the Sky Bet League Two Goal of the Month winner for March, receiving 41 per cent of the public vote.
As the ball was tapped sideways to him, Carey already knew that he wanted to stop it, then curl it effortlessly over Morecambe keeper Barry Roche into the far corner.
Carey said: "It's a nice award to get but as long as my goals contribute the points then that counts more to me.
"I had a few shots early on and fancied myself scoring in the game and Matty dribbled up the line and passed it inside. I just knew if I got a good first touch I could catch the 'keeper out and that's what happened."
Carey beat off competition from Barnet's Simeon Akinola and Yeovil Town's Matt Butcher.
