Chester FC forward says his first goal of season has lifted pressure

James Akintunde says his first goal of the season has lifted some pressure off his shoulders.

The 21-year-old Chester FC striker opened his account for the 2017/18 National League campaign with a first-minute strike in the 1-1 draw at Hartlepool United on Tuesday night.

Akintunde fired home from close range after Ross Hannah had been denied by Pools keeper Scott Loach.

Now off the mark, the former Cambridge United forward is hoping the goals will flow from here on in.

Said Akintunde: “I just followed the ball up after Ross Hannah was through and then luckily the ball just bounced to me, it was right place right time and it just managed to slot in.

“It’s always nice to get your first goal and it kind of takes the pressure off and hopefully there will be many more to come.

“Playing away from home, it’s so easy to fall under. They got the goal, they could have got two, three, four, but the togetherness is great and that helped us maintain the draw and the lads were great.”

Chester have plenty of options up front this season with a striking quartet of Akintunde, Hannah, Harry White and Nyal Bell all vying for starting roles.

But despite the competition, Akintunde says there is a ‘union’ among the Blues’ marksmen.

“All the strikers work hard as you can see in the games, so there is tough competition,” said Akintunde, who signed a new one-year deal with the club in the summer.

“Then again, we have all got to strike a union that we all want each other to do well and even though there is competition we have got to show a lot of love to each other as well.”