Andy Carroll scores for Reading on first start and performs amazing rowing celebration… with Drinkwater getting assist
ANDY CARROLL scored on his first Championship start for Reading – then celebrated in hilarious style.
The 32-year-old put the Royals 2-1 up on the half-an-hour mark against Swansea after the second-tier strugglers had gone a goal down just three minutes into the game.
Carroll expertly took down a Danny Drinkwater long ball over the top into his stride before holding off the challenge of on loan Liverpool defender Rhys Williams.
The 6ft3in striker, also formerly of Liverpool, then cut inside onto his left foot and fired a low effort past Ben Hamer in the Swansea goal.
He proceeded to celebrate by grabbing the corner flag out the ground and sitting down with his team-mates behind him, using the flagstick as a fake oar to imitate rowing.
It’s his first goal and first start for the Berkshire club since signing on a TWO-MONTH contract earlier this month.
His only prior appearances have been cameos off the bench against Nottingham Forest and Sheffield United.
And Reading’s official Twitter account could barely contain their excitement after the goal.
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Describing the strike, they wrote: “How about that for a composed finish from @AndyTCarroll?
“He beat the offside trap, before cutting in on his left, and firing in past Hamer! YES!”
Drinkwater meanwhile is on loan at Reading after a miserable four years with Chelsea.
He joined the Blues from Leicester for £34million in 2017 but has only played 23 games for the South-West Londoners.
The midfielder has been shipped out on loan to Burnley, Kasimpasa, Aston Villa and now Reading.
Ryan Manning had equalised for the Swans after the break, but Drinkwater himself restored Reading’s lead just seconds later.
That made it Swansea 2-3 after 50 minutes in a dramatic game in South Wales.
Carroll on the other hand had been a free agent before joining the Royals since his second stint with boyhood club Newcastle ended in the summer.
And Reading bosses will be hoping his goal today will kickstart a charge up the table.
He’s only contracted at the club until the middle of January, but will be doing his chances of securing a long-term deal no harm with goals like the one from today.