Melbourne City FC’s goal-scoring machine Jamie Maclaren has been voted by his A-League peers as the LUCRF Super PFA Player of the Month for his performances in March.
With six goals in five matches, Maclaren’s form in front of goal last month was pivotal to City’s five consecutive wins, helping establish the Melbourne club as serious A-League contenders.
Maclaren edged out March nominees Craig Goodwin (Adelaide United) and teammate Curtis Good. When accepting the award, a humble Maclaren said Good was more deserving of the award following a solid month in City’s backline, while remaining grateful to win the peer-voted award.
“March was a great month for us as a club at Melbourne City; there were some good wins and it was nice to score six goals in consecutive games,” Maclaren said.
“But I feel my teammate Curtis Good was hard done by! He’s been the standout centre-back in the league and I thought he deserved the award, but I’m obviously humbled and grateful that my peers and the guys that I play against voted for me.
“I think all round it was a very good month so we just want to build on that now.”
The Socceroos target man scored six times in his five appearances during a prolific spell for City. In March Patrick Kisnorbo’s side netted 17 times and conceded just once in wins over Central Coast Mariners, Macarthur, Melbourne Victory and Western Sydney Wanderers, the latter on two separate occasions.
The Socceroo commenced the month in fine form, netting a brace in City’s 2-0 win over the Wanderers, before scoring another double in a 3-0 win over Macarthur and netting in the 6-0 Melbourne Derby drubbing of Victory.
His stoppage-time goal in City’s 4-1 win over Western Sydney was named the A-league Goal of Matchweek 14 by Socceroos legend and PFA Life Member, John Aloisi
Maclaren’s other goal came in a decisive 2-0 win over the Mariners during a successful month for City.
Maclaren has scored 14 goals in his 15 games for City this season, which has elevated the former Brisbane Roar and Perth Glory forward into second on the all-time A-League goal scorer’s charts with 93 goals in 140 appearances.
The LUCRF Super PFA Player of the Month award is proudly supported by PFA Major Partner LUCRF Super and has recognised the on-field efforts of the players in Australia’s domestic competitions since 2014. A-League and W-League players are asked to vote in a 3-2-1 basis from a shortlist of nominees chosen by an awards committee, which consists of a range of prominent former footballers, coaches and Australian football media personalities, at the end of each month.
A-League and W-League PFA Player of the Month Winners (2020/21):
December/January: Alou Kuol (Central Coast Mariners) and Michelle Heyman (Canberra United)
February: Oliver Bozanic (Central Coast Mariners) and Clare Wheeler (Sydney FC)
March: Jamie Maclaren (Melbourne City FC) and Kyra Cooney-Cross (Melbourne Victory FC)
