McQuoid impressed by striker Pigott's revival

The Charlton forward came in for some cricitism during the recent home clash against Dagenham & Redbridge, and failed to find the net in his first nine games for the club, but has responded in some style since.

Pigott netted twice in the 3-2 win at Oxford on Saturday and made it three goals in two games with the opener in Tuesday night’s 2-1 win over Carlisle.

McQuoid said: “We all know that Joe has had his critics, but he’s coming through now.

“He’s a young lad, he’s good around the changing room, he’s a good character.

“It was pleasing for him to get the goal because he’s been really showing what a force he can be.

“He’s turned well, got his shot away early and thankfully it went in.

“The gaffer has said quite a lot about him, he’s a great finisher, he’s only young and in training he’s enthusiastic.

“You can see his quality in training and maybe it hadn’t gone his way on the pitch as much as everyone would have liked it to but now it’s really shining through, his quality.

“He can score, he can set up and that’s what we want.

“It’s a tough job up there on your own and he’s done well fitness-wise too. I think, for him, that’s pleasing and obviously to get his third goal in two games is decent.”

Meanwhile, winger Danny Green, who has played with Pigott previously, was delighted to the the youngster changing opinions, as he said: “I’m pleased for Pigs. I worked with him at Charlton and I know what a good finisher he is.

“He just doesn’t get the rub of the green sometimes but he’s shown that he can finish, that he is a danger and that he’s a good player.

“It’s just football; if the fans give people a hard time you’ve just got to get over it.

“The fans pay their money to come and watch players and if they don’t like players you can’t do much about it, you’ve just got to try to dig in and Pigs has done that.”

Finally, boss Nathan Jones felt Pigott once again showed his true potential with another fine display at Brunton Park in midweek.

He added: “Joe has really gone through a spell and is coming through it magnificently. It’s a striker’s finish and I think he led the line really, really well at times.

“He was isolated up there and he’s a young boy, he’s learning his trade, but I thought he was brilliant.”

“I was a little bit vociferous on the weekend, because I was defending him, because I believe in the kid because he’s done it for me at whatever level he’s played.

“He has ability and, as you see, it was real quality, soaked it in, a little shift and bang, clinical, real clinical. He’s got that, but he was part and parcel of an excellent away performance.