Conclusion

Firstly, it is important to remember that these numbers are just a guide, and there are many factors that you can’t quantify, such as missed penalties, the level of football, and the quality of the teammates. What I found interesting was that some of the best feats of scoring we’ve seen, such as Somma and Grimes, came in poor seasons. In campaigns generally regarded as a success, such as 2020/21, 2018/19, and 2002/03, our leading scorer scored relatively few open-play goals.

Where does Ben House fit into this? His 11 goals leave him level for league goals with Steve Holmes, Anthony Scully, and Adrian Patulea, whilst his 11 from open play matches Matt Rhead in 2016/17 and Jamie Forrester in 2006/07. BBC Radio Lincolnshire asked if he might beat Tyler Walker and Jorge Grant – in terms of open play goals, he’s only one behind Walker, and eight ahead of Grant.

In fact, if he were to grab two before the end of the season, he’d have a total of 13, which would be eighth out of 27, an impressive feat. There are ten players who have scored between 11 and 13 goals in a single season from open play, and of those, only Walker did it at this level, although it’s not like we’ve had multiple seasons in the third tier. House is already ahead of Grant, Scully, and Thorpe in terms of third-tier goals, and a single strike would draw him level with Walker, making him the most prolific at this level since John Thomas in 1983/84 (I’ve done some basic research and it doesn’t appear he was on penalties that season, although he did get one on the final day against Port Vale).

Now, here’s a ‘what if’ for you. What if House was on penalties as well? It’s a fair question. What if, like Forrester, Ainsworth, and Yeo, he was trying his luck from 12 yards? We’ve had five penalties in the league this season, and they were all scored, so there’s an argument that Ben could, feasibly, be on 16 league goals, level with GTF. Now, that being the case, he’d have a ratio of one every two games (0.52 to be precise), and with six games to go, he might just be on for hitting 20, in the league. Coupled with his cup goal, there’s every chance he could be the 20-goal-a-season striker after all!

Jesting aside, Ben’s had a great season, and he’s proven he’s an exciting prospect here. His record holds up against other strikers who have led the scoring charts in the league and is better than all but one from open play in the third tier. Credit where it is due, that’s solid for a striker who just 18 months ago was turning out for Eastleigh in the National League.

Final Page – The Full Table