Dom Ballard (Leyton Orient) - EA Sports FC EFL Young Player of the Month

·23 min·2 clips

Dom Ballard has scored 12 hat-tricks in five years, a rare feat he can't fully explain.

The episode is an interview with Dom Ballard, the Leyton Orient striker who won the EA Sports FC EFL Young Player of the Month award for March. Host George Elek opens by highlighting Ballard's five goals in March, including a hat-trick against Wimbledon and a brace against Stevenage. Ballard describes the hat-trick as a 'very nice night' and acknowledges some luck for the first goal. Elek notes that Ballard has scored more goals than anyone else in the EFL this season. The conversation shifts to Ballard's unusual propensity for hat-tricks, with Elek citing TransferMarkt data showing 12 hat-tricks in the last five years across various levels. Ballard admits he doesn't know why but says he always believes a third goal is possible once he scores one. They discuss his goal variety, including headed goals despite being 5'9", with Ballard explaining his movement to beat taller defenders. Elek points out Ballard has five headed goals in League One, ranking among the league's top headers. Ballard reflects on his development, noting that playing under Steve Bruce at Blackpool taught him the physical side of men's football, contrasting with his technical upbringing at Southampton's academy. He details how loans to Blackpool and Cambridge improved his link-up play and ability to fight for second balls. Ballard praises Leyton Orient manager Richie Wellens for his confidence and man-management, which helped him overcome a previous goal-scoring drought. Elek highlights Ballard's durability, playing the most minutes for Orient this season, and Ballard discusses overcoming past injury doubts at Reading. The host asks about England under-21 ambitions, with Ballard acknowledging Lee Carsley has watched him but competition is fierce. Ballard clarifies he is not eligible for Greece despite childhood time there. He explains his summer move from Southampton to Orient, driven by a lack of pathway at Saints and Orient's attractive project under Wellens. The episode concludes with congratulations on the award and hopes for a strong season finish.

As heard by us

A clear look at how Ballard's five-goal March connects loans, movement, and a sharper Orient role.

Dom Ballard's five-goal March gives this single-episode review a clean way into a productive spell at Leyton Orient. The conversation moves from his hat-trick against Wimbledon, including a first goal he calls lucky, to the brace at Stevenage, where the ground's difficulty…

Read the full review in PlayNext →

Why you'd press play

You can hear five March goals turn into a close-up on development.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

Listen to the show on

Apple Podcasts Spotify

Play clips from this episode More from Not The Top 20 Podcast