Hotshot hits milestone strike

5 Sep 2016 By David Watters

Striker Ricky Johnson celebrated scoring his 50th goal for the EVO-STIK League Southern's Puritans in The Emirates FA Cup on Saturday.

The hotshot is pictured notching a first half penalty in Banbury United's 3-0 away win over Dorchester Town at the Avenue Stadium in the Cup's First Qualifying Round.

Of the forward's 50 goals in 106 appearances, the 44 he's bagged in league action have earned the 28-year-old fifth place in the club's all-time Southern League scoring charts behind record-holder Tony Jacques on 138, Tony Foster on 90, Mark Boyland's 61 and George Redknap's 59 strikes.

After originally coming through the Banbury United's youth side and making a few first team appearances, Johnson went on to play for Easington Sports, Witney United, Hook Norton and Woodford United.

On his return to the Spencer Stadium in December 2011, he scored his first goal at Redditch United in a 2-0 win in a Southern League Cup game on Tuesday 6 December 2011. Eighteen more followed in 42 appearances before he left in September 2012 to help Leamington win the Southern League Championship in 2012-13.

After a season with the Brakes in Conference North, he spent the 2014-15 campaign at Ardley United, ending his spell as the Hellenic League Premier Division outfit's top scorer with 29 goals before returning in the summer of 2015 for a third spell with the Puritans.

Image courtesy of David Shadbolt/Banbury United

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Where next?

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