Socceroos striker, Jamie Maclaren become the first player in A-League Men history to score in nine straight matches after bagging a brace in Melbourne City’s 3-1 win over Wellington Phoenix on Monday afternoon.
The league’s leading marksman, who has twelve goals to his name broke the record previously held by his former teammate Andy Keogh.
The 29-year-old broke the record from the penalty spot in the 51st minute, converting after fellow Socceroo Marco Tilio was brought down inside the area.
Maclaren then doubled his tally for the afternoon in second half stoppage time when he turned an Andrew Nabbout cross into an empty net to seal the 3-1 win for City.
Monday’s brace took Maclaren’s tally for the 2022/23 A-League to 12 goals, six ahead of the competition’s second highest goal scorer and fellow Socceroo Jason Cummings.
Maclaren, who is the competition's second all-time highest scorer has 132 goals in 185 A-League games, 10 goals shy of Besart Berisha’s record of 142.
Speaking post-match, Maclaren, who has the best goals per game ratio of any player in league’s top ten all time goal scorers said he was delighted with his new record.
“It’s huge, obviously, the last person that held that was Andy Keogh, my former teammate and he’s a quality striker,” Maclaren said.
“To do nine in nine is special for me and my family and it’s a credit to the boys behind me who give me the service just like Andy did.
“The harder you work, the luckier you get and you get these breaks, but we’ve got a quality side, whether they start or come off the bench, that’s what we’ve built the last few years.
“I’m happy here and when you score goals, it breeds confidence.”
City currently sit top of the A-League standings, four points clear of second placed Western Sydney Wanderers with a game in hand.
Next up for the league leaders is a rematch of last season’s Grand Final against Western United at AAMI Park on Saturday night (7:45pm AEDT KO).