'It's a nice feeling' - Northern Ireland international returns to haunt former club after netting Cambridge United brace
Northern Ireland international Shayne Lavery admits netting a brace against former club Blackpool in Cambridge United’s dramatic 4-4 League One draw was “a nice feeling” and now wants to keep firing in front of goal.
Lavery netted a first-half equaliser to mark his first Cambridge strike since joining this summer having been released by Blackpool and then levelled the match once again in the 75th minute to complete a remarkable comeback after the visitors had went 4-1 ahead.
The 25-year-old also contributed an assist for their third in a fine all-round performance against a club where he spent three seasons after leaving Linfield, scoring 15 League One goals in 95 appearances.
"No (I wasn’t feeling anxious about scoring the first goal) – I was getting chances so I knew eventually if I got in the right areas that the goals would come,” he told Cambridge United’s media channel. “I have to keep doing that and hopefully score more this season.
"I’m feeling good, feeling sharp and we just need to start getting three points. It’s a nice feeling (to score against former club).
"I know quite a few of the (Blackpool) lads and am quite friendly with them so there was a bit of banter before the game and it was nice to get on the scoresheet for sure.”
Lavery, who played youth football for Oxford Sunnyside, Portadown and Glenavon, earned a move to Premier League outfit Everton in 2015 and spent four years at Goodison Park before returning home to Linfield.
He scored 45 goals in 84 matches across two impressive Irish League seasons for David Healy’s side, winning two Premiership titles and an Irish Cup crown, while Lavery was also named NIFWA Player of the Year and Ulster Footballer of the Year in 2020/21.
Lavery has earned 19 senior Northern Ireland caps to date since making his debut against Panama in 2018 and netted three times against Lithuania, Kosovo and Greece.