Former Sunderland AFC winger Ellis Taylor makes his mark with stunning goal for Harrogate Town at Accrington Stanley

The 21-year-old signed for the Sulphurites earlier this summer having impressed as a trialist following his release by the Wearsiders after more than a decade with the club.

He provided a brilliant assist on his first competitive start for his new employers in midweek, gliding past a couple of defenders before putting the opening goal of a Carabao Cup upset of Lincoln City on a plate for team-mate Sam Folarin.

Taylor then went one better on Saturday afternoon, bending home a cultured left-footed effort from the edge of the box to hand Town a 2-1 lead during their thrilling 3-3 draw at Accrington Stanley.

And, having netted for the first time in senior football, the former Black Cat is determined to continue in the same vein in weeks to come.

"I’m really proud,” he said. “It is something I've obviously dreamed of from being a little kid, to score a professional goal. But, I feel I've got to keep the ball rolling now.

"I’ve got to keep on going and bring more. Hopefully one brings two, and two brings three, and then they all start rolling. That's the aim.

“Especially so early in the season, that first goal is what you want. You don't want to be just seven, eight, nine games in and still waiting for your first goal to get off the mark.

"It’s what I wanted and hopefully there are many more to come.”

Perhaps best known as a Sunderland player for the stunning hat-trick he netted in the Black Cats Under-21s’ Premier League 2 semi-final success over Reading last season, Taylor’s strike at Accrington was reminiscent of the first couple of goals of that treble.

Having cut inside off the right flank, he took aim with his left foot and expertly picked out the far corner of the net, something he admits he is already gaining a reputation for among his new team-mates.

“The lads say it's a bit of a trademark in training, and I try to do that one quite a lot, coming inside there,” Taylor added.

"To bend it in, and the way it went in, I’m lost for words really. I’m just buzzing.”

Taylor's 33rd-minute strike at the Wham Stadium came after Tyler Walton had cancelled out a brave James Daly header which had given Town the lead on 19 minutes.

Two goals in quick succession just after the hour-mark from Jimmy Knowles and Kelsey Mooney then saw Accrington turn the game on its head, leaving Harrogate requiring a last-gasp header from Folarin to salvage a point at the death.

"Being in control in the first half to being under pressure for a lot of the second half wasn’t what we wanted, but that’s how the game panned out,” Taylor said.

"There’s nothing worse than being in control of the game to then find yourself trailing by a goal in the space of two-and-a-half minutes, but we dug deep. It wasn’t the prettiest at times, but at the end of the day, we’ve got the point.

"We wanted the first win, but to get that first point, it’s good for us. We would have preferred the three points, but to get that point is a massive relief for us.”