SWINDON Town striker Jacob Wakeling scored what is believed to be the third-fastest goal in club history last weekend when netting against Rochdale in the 24th second of the 3-0 victory.

Wakeling pounced on a mistake by Ben Nelson before driving in on goal and poking past Richard O’Donnell to give Town the ideal start.

Thanks to in-depth research by Richard Banyard of www.swindon-town-fc.co.uk, we can be reasonably sure that 31 goals have been scored by Town players inside the first minute of a competitive fixture.

Sol Pryce remains the quickest player off the mark for Town thanks to his 18th-second strike in a 3-2 win over Stevenage in 2018, while Jimmy Kelly slots into second courtesy of his goal in the 22nd second of Swindon’s 2-1 success away at Bradford City in 1958.

Wakeling is third on his own, a fraction ahead of three goals which were all recorded as taking place in the 25th second of a game and almost certainly the quickest goal scored without another Town player touching the ball!

Iffy Onuora and James Collins both scored in victories for Swindon, while David Layne helped to secure a point at home to Chesterfield thanks to his early intervention in 1960.

Onuora’s goal began with a slick passing move and a left-wing cross at the County Ground in 1999 versus Port Vale. When the striker flicked a left-footed volley towards goal, it appeared as though the Vale goalkeeper would gather easily above his head. However, the visiting stopper dropped the ball over the goal-line, failing to flick it away from danger as he realised his mistake.

Collins secured three points away at Bury in October 2012, receiving a Matt Ritchie pass and sending a curling shot into the top left corner from the right corner of the penalty area.

Looking at strikes further down the list, Ben Morton is reported to have netted the only goal of the game “inside the first 30 seconds” of a 1-0 success against Bristol City at the County Ground in September 1938.

There are 14 goals that are believed to have been scored between 30 second and one minute, and 10 others where the exact timings are not known.

With many of the goals, especially ones where there is no video evidence, there is much more scope for error and the reported fact must be taken as gospel.

Given games were not timed as specifically before the Second World War, it is unlikely historians will ever know for sure where on the list certain goals should be listed.