Liam Cullen: Derby day goal was a ‘dream come true’ but there is more to come

The Swans host play-off chasing Coventry City at the Swansea.com Stadium this afternoon (3pm) full of confidence after completing the South Wales derby double over the Bluebirds for the second season running.

Goals from Joel Piroe and Cullen had given the Swans an early lead before the Bluebirds fought back to level the match in the second half. 

Late drama though saw euphoria amongst the Swans contingent as Ben Cabango dramatically snatched all three points for Russell Martin’s men deep into stoppage time.

After scoring his first derby goal in the triumph at the Cardiff City Stadium, it is now seven league goals in the Championship from the 23-year-old Pembrokeshire-born striker. The academy product who has been associated with the club since the tender age of eight years old also has his own personal milestone on his mind.

Since taking his chance in the reverse fixture against Coventry in December, scoring a late equaliser in a match where the Swans came back from three down to draw 3-3 at the Coventry Building Society Arena, Cullen hasn’t looked back. 

With attention now back to home soil for his team’s fixture with the Sky Blues, Cullen now wants to help the Swans push on and climb up the table. 

“I had a stop-start to the season with my shoulder injury, but I took that time to knuckle down and done a lot of work with the medical team.  I got that chance when I scored against Coventry,” said Cullen.

“That was my main aim really to cement my place and try and prove what I can do at this level. I would like to think I have done that to a certain extent. I definitely still think I have more to come. I think now I think the focus is to have the strongest end to the season as I can.

“It’s a dream come true [to score against Cardiff]. I started coming to watch this team when I was young. I remember the first game against York City at the Vetch. 

“I had always talked about it since I was a kid that I wanted to play in these games and wanted to score against them. It’s one of my lifelong dreams and now it has been ticked off. Hopefully, there will be a few more of them to come.

“I never really thought that someone else’s goal would be my best moment in football. Me and Harry Darling were sitting there, and I said, imagine if we score here. 

“When the ball fell to Ben of all people, I couldn’t get off my seat quick enough. It’s definitely the best feeling, running over to the away end to see all those fans was amazing to be a part of.

“The first game I ever played against Cardiff was here and I scored two. I have had a bit of a habit of scoring against them in the youth ages. It was nice to finally get one at this level.

“I think the main job is a striker and the main aim for any striker is to score goals. I just try to make sure I’m in the right position every time the ball gets put in the box and I’m alive to any crosses that come in. It was nice to see another one fall to me and hopefully, I can get a couple more of them.

In an impressive breakout season that has seen Cullen earn a call-up to Rob Page’s full Wales squad, the Swans attacker now has the taste for more at international level and wants to hit double figures for his club to finish the campaign strongly.

“I was at home and had a call from Mark [Bowen] saying that I was getting a call up into the [Wales] squad. It was a little bit of a rush around on the Monday night to get to Cardiff. I didn’t get there until late, but the experience was unbelievable and makes me want more”, continued Cullen.

“It’s trying to impress as much as I can now in these last seven games and show I’m good enough to be involved in the squad and contribute to that team as well.

“It’s always been a target of mine to be in that Wales setup. I have come through all the ages of 15, 16, through to 21 and I’ve always had that target in mind. 

“The gaffer called me in at the end of the week and it was a massive boost for me to know I’ve done myself no harm and keeps me wanting to get the call-up and to impress in the Championship for Swansea.

“On a personal level, it’s about finishing as strong as I can and seeing how well I can play in these games. I have seven goals in the league and one in the cup, a big aim would be to get to double figures.

“As long as the team is winning, it makes no odds to me who scores the goals if it gets us the three points. As long as the team are playing well and we are proving that in this league I’m happy.”

(Lead image: Swansea City Football Club)