Stoke’s Ben Wilmot wins Sky Bet Championship Goal of the Month award for January | Football News

Stoke City defender Ben Wilmot is the Sky Bet Championship Goal of the Month winner for January, receiving 40 per cent of the public vote.

Receiving the ball in midfield, Wilmot took a couple of seconds to pace forward and then his hammerhead of a shot took the same amount of time to travel 35 yards and bulge the net.

Wilmot said: “It’s an honour to win the Sky Bet Championship Goal of the Month award and I’m grateful to the people who voted for me. I don’t think I’ll ever score a better goal – it’s just a shame that as a team we didn’t get anything out of the game itself.”

Lead Sky Bet EFL Goal of the Month judge and Sky Sports Pundit Don Goodman said: “This month’s standard was so high, it really was going to take all the winning!

“So what a way for Wilmott to score his first goal for the club! Goals like this don’t come along too often, and it’s no wonder that it has captured the voting public’s imagination.

“The Stoke defender unleashed an absolute rocket which was still rising when it sailed past Daniel Iversen and into the Preston goal, a truer strike he may never hit again!”

Wilmot beat off competition from Queens Park Rangers’ Chris Willock and Bristol City’s Antoine Semenyo.

Sky Bet League One winner: Dion Charles

Bolton Wanderers striker Dion Charles is the Sky Bet League One Goal of the Month winner for January, receiving 56 per cent of the public vote.

With a minute left, Charles knew something special was needed to break the deadlock. The smoothest of swivels and hits into the far corner gave him a memorable first Bolton goal.

Charles said: “I’m delighted to have won the award and thanks to all the fans who voted my goal as the winner.

“It was a special goal for lots of reasons. It was one of my best and also a big one for the fans and the team to get the win we needed at the time.

“And on a personal level, it meant a lot as well. It was my first for the club – hopefully with lots more to follow – and also came just a couple of days after the birth of our daughter Hattie, so it was great to dedicate it to her.”

Lead Sky Bet EFL Goal of the Month judge and Sky Sports Pundit Don Goodman said: “A goal is never a bad way to introduce yourself to a new set of fans but January signing Dion Charles’ last minute control and volley won the game for Bolton in the most dramatic of circumstances.

“To be in the away end when it hit the net would have given the away fans a massive high that I’m sure they will have enjoyed!”

Charles beat off competition from Burton Albion’s Kane Hemmings and Cambridge United’s Adam May.

Sky Bet League Two winner: Elliott Nevitt

Tranmere Rovers striker Elliott Nevitt is the Sky Bet League Two Goal of the Month winner for January, receiving 47 per cent of the public vote.

Timing a volley as the ball takes an age to drop is an art form which Nevitt has clearly perfected. He waited just long enough to send a perfectly placed shot into the top corner.

Nevitt said: “I’m delighted to win the Goal of the Month competition. It was a goal that I will remember for a while and it came in a great win for the team which is the main thing.

“I remember the ball sitting up nicely, I just put my foot through it and it went into the top corner. I don’t mind how the goals come as long as the team is winning.”

Lead Sky Bet EFL Goal of the Month judge and Sky Sports Pundit Don Goodman said: “With the Scunthorpe defence failing to clear their lines, Nevitt was on hand to make sure they were thoroughly punished, with an outstanding 20-yard volley into the top corner.

“Nevitt’s story is a brilliant one, with him only turning pro in July last year at age of 24 and now in a team challenging for promotion and scoring wondergoals…he’ll hope to play a big part in leading Tranmere into League One next season.”

Nevitt beat off competition from Walsall’s Conor Wilkinson and Hartlepool United’s Nicky Featherstone.