Louie Barry just reminded everyone what he’s all about. A brilliant hat trick. Three goals. One statement. The Aston Villa loanee is back where he belongs and his manager says the kid is a “killer” in the box.
The 22 year old playmaker has had an absolute nightmare of a season. Stop start. Injuries. Red cards. Barely playing. But Saturday? Saturday was different.
Barry bagged all three goals in Stockport County’s 3-1 win over Peterborough United. That’s his first goals of the entire campaign. And he did it in only his second start since returning to Edgeley Park.
Let’s rewind a bit. Last season was going so well. Sixteen goals in 24 games for Stockport in League One before New Year. Then a loan move to Hull City in the Championship got derailed by injury. Cruel.
This time around? He barely got a kick at Sheffield United before heading back to Stockport. Had to be patient. Then got sent off in his first game back. You couldn’t write it.
But boss Dave Challinor never lost faith.
“Louie is back in a place now where he’s able to do what he does,” Challinor said after the match.
“After losing 1-0 on Tuesday, it highlights the players you want between the boxes, the ones you need in the final third. Louie is a killer when he gets in those positions.”
A killer. High praise from a manager who’s seen him do it before.
The hat trick wasn’t a fluke either. Challinor reckons that’s just what Barry does.
“It’s not a surprise how Louie scored those three goals. It was the same way he has scored three quarters of his goals for us.”
He only played 60 or 70 minutes, mind. Still working his way back to full sharpness. But that’ll come.
The result? It all but seals Stockport’s place in the play offs. They sit fourth, three points clear of seventh with two games left and a much better goal difference than Bradford and Stevenage above them. One more push and they’re in.
Next up is relegated Port Vale at home on Tuesday, then Barnsley away on the final day. Two games. One goal. Play off football.
For Barry, this is personal. A season of frustration finally getting its reward. And if Stockport go up? The Villa kid will have played a massive part.
Aston Villa will be watching. Everyone loves a loan success story. And this one’s just got its best chapter yet.
