Star Man chance for top-scorer Taylor

NUMBER ONE . . . Athletic scorer Chris Taylor (left), leading the way in the race to become ‘Chronicle Star Man’ for 2010-11, wheels away with Ryan Burns after scoring the first of his two goals against Swindon Town.

CHRIS Taylor’s two-goal Swindon salvo helped nudge him ahead approaching a photo-finish in

the ‘Chronicle Star Man’ stakes for 2010-11.

Taking up the captaincy again with regular skipper Reuben Hazell injured, the 24-year-old winger showed exactly why clubs from higher divisions tried to snap him up during the transfer window earlier this year.

In the kind of form that makes him such a threat cutting infield from the left wing, home-grown Taylor lashed in a brilliant

25-yard shot in the first half at the County Ground before doubling his tally with a well-placed effort that owed plenty to his determination in regaining possession on the edge of the opposition's penalty area.

While Dean Brill made some superb saves at the other end of the field to keep a clean sheet behind his young defence, it was Taylor who edged another Star Man award for his game-changing efforts.

Now in his sixth season of first-team football at Boundary Park, Taylor has accumulated 10 nominations so far this term — one more than nearest rival Dean Furman, who is on nine, while ever-consistent Kieran Lee is not far behind on seven.

With one game left, it is a two-horse race between Taylor and Furman to pick up a charity cheque for £600 courtesy of the Indish Restaurant, Bar and Grill, which the winner can donate to the cause of his choosing.

Last season, Sean Gregan managed 11 nominations over the course of the season to claim top honours.





Star Man nominations



Chris Taylor 10; Dean Furman 9; Kieran Lee 7; Oumare Tounkara 4; Dale Stephens, Jean-Yves Mvoto, Ben Amos* 3; Cedric Evina 2; Ritchie Jones, Paul Black, Dean Brill, Reuben Hazell, Neal Trotman, James Tarkowski, Sam Mantom 1. Total: 48

*Including one fans' vote.