Thorne: I feel in great shape

7:20am Tuesday 19th August 2008

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Goal king Peter Thorne believes fitness has been a big factor behind his red-hot start to the season.

The 35-year-old shot to the top of the League Two scorers’ chart with his second double in two starts in the 2-0 win at Macclesfield.

And Thorne feels his first pre-season without injury for several years has enabled him to get off to a flyer.

He said: “It’s nice to feel fit and sharp at the start of the season for once.

“I picked up an injury at the wrong time last year and it’s been a bit of a story of mine over the last few years, picking up little niggles at the worst time.

“But I didn’t miss a day’s pre-season and I’m feeling good for it.

“Obviously it’s going well. For me to get two in the first game was brilliant and then to get another two is fantastic. So hopefully I can keep that going.”

Injury meant Thorne endured a slow start to his Valley Parade career last season, when his first goal did not come until November 10, but he went on to notch 15 from 33 appearances.

“You miss games, you lose your match fitness and then you’ve got to go into first-team games trying to get your fitness back so it doesn’t do you any favours,” he added.

“That’s why it took me a while to get going last year.”

Thorne had special praise for winger Joe Colbeck, who had a hand in both goals on his first appearance of the season following suspension.

Of his opener, Thorne said: “Joe put a good ball in – he told me he was going to set me up so that’s why we were going mental when we were celebrating. He came over telling me he was right of course!”

The striker is not likely to train until Thursday after picking up a dead leg at Moss Rose, though he expects to be fit for Rochdale at home on Saturday.

He said: “I got it so early on and tried to run it off and it just wouldn’t go. I wanted to stay on and try and get a hat-trick. It’s giving me a bit of jip now but I should hopefully be okay for training on Thursday.”

Thorne felt his first full game with new strike partner Michael Boulding went well, saying: “He’s a class player but that’s not taking anything away from Baz (Conlon) because I think he’s been different class all pre-season and in the first game.

“But the gaffer gave Micky his chance and he was unlucky not to score – he hit the post and it ran right across the goal.

“But someone who scored as many goals as he did last year in a team that went down – you know he’s a goalscorer.”