Calls for Puskas Award after spectacular non-league strike

A non-league footballer has been touted to win the FIFA Puskas Award after scoring a spectacular goal in the eighth tier of English football.

Jason Cowley’s deft flick and volley put Bromsgrove Sporting FC ahead against Corby Town in the Southern League Division One Central.

Since going viral on social media, Cowley’s goal has been touted as a potential winner of the Puskas Award, FIFA’s annual recognition for the “most beautiful” goal of the year.

The club told the Press Association they “definitely think it qualifies” for the award.

“It shouldn’t just be the top leagues’ players that get a look-in; an amazing goal is an amazing goal at any level – and this was certainly that,” they said.

“What a great advert for the quality you can see in non-league football as well!”

“I was shocked that I did it myself really,” Cowley said after the match.

“The ball came to me and normally I try to do it over the defender and run but this time I thought, ‘I’m hitting it’.

“I didn’t really know how to celebrate.”

Cowley is Bromsgrove Sporting’s record goalscorer, having recently bagged his 100th for the club, and they describe him as “quite simply a brilliant player”.

“Despite the nature of this exceptional goal, which is undoubtedly one of the best goals the Victoria Ground has ever seen in its 109-year history, our loyal support have come to expect nothing less from Jason,” they said.

“From the moment he joined, he became an instant hit with fans, and goals like this make it easy to see why.”

Cowley’s goal in the 45th minute made it 1-0 at the break, before late strikes from Bromsgrove Sporting’s John Pykett and Corby Town’s Joel Carta made the final score 2-1.

The win put Cowley’s side top of the league, a point ahead of Peterborough Sports who have two games in hand, while Corby Town are third.