Anthony Scully: U23s’ target is always the next game

Anthony Scully celebrates scoring against Aston Villa U23s


When you’ve racked up 15 goals in 15 appearances for your unbeaten side, the temptation might be to start speaking of golden boots, trophies and invincible runs.

Not for Anthony Scully, the ever-focused attacking midfielder-turned-prolific striker, whose change of position this season has yielded a glut of goals and a fine first half to the Premier League 2 Division 2 season.

Grafting at the point of a free-scoring Claret and Blue attack, Scully has notched at least once in each of his last eight league games, winning plaudits and being rewarded with a call-up to the Republic of Ireland U21s squad last month.

Yet as his side prepare to kick off the second half of their league season tonight, travelling to Motspur Park to take on Fulham U23s, Scully insists that the development squad are simply focused on overcoming each challenge as it comes.

“I think that’s all we can aim for – to keep doing what we’ve been doing,” Scully explained. “It’s brought us a lot of success, so we won’t go stray away from it. 

“We’ll continue what we’re doing and try to be even better than we were in the first half of the season. We’ll try to win the league, do well in the Premier League International Cup, and keep playing how we're playing.

“As a team everybody’s just taking it one game at a time – win that, then play the next game and win that. Come the end of the season, if we’re unbeaten in the league, that’d be brilliant, but for now it’s all just about the next game. That’s what we’re all thinking about.”
 

Anthony Scully taps in against Sunderland U23s


This season has marked something of a renaissance for 20-year-old Scully, whose 2018/19 campaign was curtailed by injury, limiting him to just six competitive appearances.

The son of former Queens Park Rangers and Notts County winger Tony, Scully has previously impressed on the international stage, having been capped by the Boys in Green at every age-group level up to U19s prior to last month’s U21s call-up.
 

I’m buzzing to have that record – 15 in 15 – but the main thing is that we’re winning games as a team

Anthony Scully


Scully’s conscientious work ethic, clever movement and uncanny instinct for anticipating a goal has made him a handful for defenders ever since he moved up front – a move which, inside five weeks, saw him win Premier League 2 Player of the Month for September. 

“I’m buzzing to have that record – 15 in 15 – but the main thing is that we’re winning games as a team,” Scully beamed. “That’s the most important thing, so hopefully that continues, and hopefully I keep on scoring as well.

“I’m just taking each game as it comes and, at the end of the season, I’ll have a look at how many I’ve got. I always have the aim of trying to score in every game I play in, then at the end of the season I’ll look at the total.

“I was in the last Republic of Ireland U21 squad last month, so if I can keep doing well for West Ham, hopefully I’ll be in the next one as well.”
 

Anthony Scully on the mark against Aston Villa U23s


Scully’s latest crucial goal came during the 3-1 win at Brighton U23s in the Premier League International Cup last week, instinctively pouncing after the goalkeeper dropped a corner.

Although his team were leading 2-1 at the time, Scully’s sharp reactions extended the Hammers’ goal difference and has subsequently granted them a much better chance of progressing from the group stage, pending future results.

“It was a great game, and obviously getting a goal again I’m really happy, but the main thing was the result,” Scully reasoned.

“It was a great test because they had first-team players playing and they’re in the division above us, so it was great for us to see where we’re at in comparison. We came out on top, so we should be really happy with our performance.”

With its owner playing and scoring at a level above, few would be surprised to see the name ‘Anthony Scully’ make its way onto the scoresheet again tonight.

West Ham United U23s against Fulham U23s kicks off at 7pm at Motspur Park; as always, you can follow all the action with our live blog on whufc.com.
 

 

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