On Wednesday, February 11, 2009 the Post told of how...

A TEENAGE footballer may have laid claim to the fastest goal ever after netting a wonder strike just THREE SECONDS into a game.

Bert Monti, 18, took the cheeky pop at goal straight from kick off for his team, Clydeside under-19s.

And it soared high before deceiving the opposition keeper to bounce off the bar and into the net.

The referee clocked the strike at three seconds, which could book Bert and the Clydebank-based club a place in the history books.

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Bert, from Blairdardie, told the Post: “It was just a wee talk between me and the guy taking kick off.

“It was a bit of luck but I thought it had a chance — the keeper was a good bit off his line and I hit it pretty well.

“I hope it is a record for this level, that would be great.”

Startled Clydeside manager Colin Poultney told the Post he had never seen anything like it in his life but joked that he came up with idea to shoot on the whistle.

Colin said: “I nearly missed it as I had looked down to get my phone out of my pocket. By the time I looked up, I saw the ball hit the bar and go in. Everyone just stared at it, the boys were all in shock, then we realised it was a goal.

“I went to a refereeing course a couple of years ago and found out [shooting from the whistle] is within the laws of the game, as long as everyone is behind the ball.

“I came back and told my players to try it in the last game of the season but they just laughed it off.

“Bert is probably one of the better strikers of the ball we have in the team.

“We try doing the crossbar challenge at training for a bit of fun and some struggle to get the ball to reach the goal, but when we did it last week he smacked the bar.”

Match referee Brian McNellis has been taking charge of games for more than five years but admitted Bert’s wonder-strike at the Hermitage Academy pitch in Helensburgh took him aback.

He said: “You took your eyes off it for a second and it was in. The goalkeeper misjudged the bounce and it’s gone over him and in so Bert will maybe want to thank him for that.

“It was rehearsed — he knew what he was doing. Sometime they’ll go flying over the fence but this one went in and I’m delighted for the guy because he’s a good player and a smashing guy on the pitch too.”

Bert has played for the club since it was formed in 2007 and the attacking midfielder has scored 11 goals this season.

The fastest senior goal recorded in the UK was scored by Jim Fryatt for Bradford Park Avenue after four seconds in a match in April 1964.