YOUNG attacker Ben Halloran has been one the shining lights for Gold Coast United this season and the speedy forward is determined to keep improving right up to the end of the campaign.
Despite two outstanding years in Gold Coast’s Youth Team, Halloran was one of United’s best kept secrets until he burst onto the scene this term.
Having added a level of consistency to his undoubted ability, in just two-thirds of a season he has become one of the most potent attacking weapons in the competition with his direct running and trickery with the ball at his feet.
The 19-year-old is also the most fouled player in the Hyundai A-League, highlighting what a handful he has become, but the bad news for opposition defenders is that he plans to continue learning game by game.
“Miron has given me the chance to start in most of the games this season which has certainly helped and it’s been a breakthrough year for me,” said Halloran.
“On a personal note I’m happy with how I’ve gone in this campaign and I want to kick on for the rest of the season and keep improving so I can help the team as much as possible.
“It’s been a tough season but a big learning curve for me and the whole squad really. Apart from the match on Monday (against Perth) the games we’ve lost prior to that have been tight matches when we’ve always been in with a chance to get something.
“That’s been one of the biggest lessons for me this season I guess; that football is a game of fine margins at this level. You have to use some of the disappointments to spur you on, especially in the dying stages of a game because that’s often when matches are won or lost.
“Monday night aside, it’s as though we’ve been punished every time we’ve made a mistake. Even if just a few things had gone our way we could have been mid-table and doing alright.”
Halloran netted his first senior goal against this Sunday’s opponents, Adelaide United, back in mid-December and has added two more to his tally since then. Gold Coast demolished the reds on that occasion and are looking for a similar performance against John Kosmina’s side this time around.
The South Australians haven’t registered a win in six games and lie just one place above Gold Coast on the table, so Halloran is right to have them in his sights.
“Moving off the bottom is our first goal and Adelaide are the ones who are closest to us on the ladder, so we have to give everything on Sunday to get a result against them,” he said.
“We have to try to finish the season on a high and string a few results together. None of us have given the season up and one or two wins on the trot just might put us back in with a shout.
“Last time out against Adelaide we did well and got a good result down there, so we will take those positives into this game and do everything we can to get a similar result.”