As first goals for Bristol Rovers go, there will be almost none that will be as good as Kofi Balmer's for the Pirates.
Just three days after Yusuf Akhamrich hit a perfect curling effort from range to open his account in the blue-and-white quarters, Balmer crashed the back of the net with a superb volley to get his first goal for Rovers.
It came at the perfect time against Walsall to cement the Pirates' control in the contest, with Akharmich's clinical finish giving the Gas the lead just three minutes before. Steve Evans' men were the better side throughout the contest, with the two efforts either side of the hour mark giving his men their second straight victory in Sky Bet League Two.
Speaking to BRTV, Balmer reflected on the performance and stated the importance of Rovers backing up their win over Newport County with another over Walsall.
"Everyone is happy in the changing room; that is the standard we have set," he said. "For the past few games, we have put that performance in, and we have reaped the rewards for it. So, yeah, it's a positive camp at the moment.
"You are only as good as your last game, and although, maybe, we didn’t start the same way as we did against Newport, but we were about, nearly there and, you know, Walsall are a good team; we knew that, and we knew we needed to up our game in the second half to get those three points, and we did that so it was good."
After Akhamrich's opener, Rovers needed to make the most of the momentum they had gained to get another goal and put some distance between themselves and Walsall in the scoreline.
Ryan de Havilland's free-kick from the right was only cleared as far as Balmer, who kept his eye on the ball before lashing a perfect, left-footed volley into the top corner. It was a special strike, with Balmer surprised how sweet he hit it, especially on his weaker foot.
"I've seen the ball go over my head and then Alfie’s put a good challenge in, and the ball was just sat in the air nicely for me, I just got a swing at it," said Balmer. "I think looking at it, sort of my reaction, I was a bit surprised myself that I have actually caught the ball that sweetly, especially with my left foot, but the emotions after that, I didn’t know what to do because I have never hit a ball that well in my life.
"If it were on my right foot, it might have been different, because it was my left foot, I sort of didn't think about it and just swung. I just sort of swung as hard as I could, and caught it sweet, and it's just sealed in the back of the net, so I can’t complain.
"When the first goal goes in, you're sort of hoping to push on, and get that second goal, and put the game to bed. I think we had the sort of pressure on them after the first goal, and once the second went in, we were thinking that we can’t sit back - we just need to keep getting at them because they put the big guys up, and that put the pressure on you, but I think we dealt with it really well."
Balmer joined the Pirates in the January transfer window on loan from Scottish Premiership side Motherwell. After back-to-back appearances off the bench against Plymouth Argyle and Colchester United, he has started the last four games for the Gas.
The 25-year-old knew he would have to wait for his chance, but he is looking to take it with both hands and is pleased to be part of a defence that has kept back-to-back clean sheets.
"Whether you go, you have to be patient, and as they say, when you get the shirt, you have to work hard to keep it, and that is what I am trying to do," he said. "I am just trying to put in good performances every week, and I think I am getting fully match fit and trying to put in the best performances I can.
"If you keep clean sheets, you can’t lose a game," said the defender. "With Alfie Kilgour and Riley Harbottle and beside me - they have got experience, they are constantly communicating with me and helping me out, and hopefully, I am doing the same, helping them out. I think the past few games have shown that we are sticking together, and that we are working as a unit, and we are keeping those clean sheets."
