Melbourne City star Jamie Maclaren became the Isuzu UTE A-League’s all-time record goalscorer on Saturday night, after bagging a hat-trick in his side’s 3-1 win over Western United at AAMI Park.
When Jamie Maclaren bagged his record-breaking 143rd Isuzu UTE A-League goal, the first emotion that poured out of the Melbourne City striker was unbridled joy.
It was the feeling emanating from the AAMI Park stands, and from his City teammates as the celebrations ensued – and with good reason; with his third goal of the night, Maclaren had overtaken Besart Berisha as the league’s all-time top goalscorer.
But then came the tears.
Maclaren began City’s Round 25 clash with Western United at AAMI Park trailing Berisha by two goals on the all-time leaderboard; 90 minutes later the record was his and his alone.
He scored his first of the night by bundling a cross from Andrew Nabbout to the back post over the line. Western responded to make it 1-1 before the break through Dylan Pierias – then, Maclaren took over. He secured his brace in the 66th minute, and less than 10 minutes later had a third.
The hat-trick goal clinched the scoring record, and the pulsating celebrations befit the moment.
MATCH REPORT: Maclaren becomes A-Leagues’ greatest goalscorer with ‘best hat-trick I’ll ever score’
As play resumed at AAMI Park, the typically-composed City spearhead suddenly found himself completely swept up in the significance of it all. Soon after he was substituted by head coach Rado Vidosic, and as he walked off the field to rapturous applause, his eyes welled with tears.
Those tears fell freely as he took his place on the bench.
At the conclusion of City’s 3-1 win over Western United, Maclaren revealed exactly what the achievement meant.
“It’s hit me like a tonne of bricks,” he told Paramount+ post-game.
“To score a hat-trick, it’s a fitting moment. To see my teammates, the way they celebrated with me, the fans, they knew what was happening. It’s hard to explain.
“I came to Melbourne City with a few eyebrows (raised). I was given a job, given a task, and that was to come here and score goals and win trophies. I feel like the decision is more than justified.
“My dad’s father before he passed away said: ‘Go and be the greatest’.
“He’s a big football fan. And those words have always stuck with me. To know he’ll be up there watching is huge. It’s just emotion to be honest. It’s got nothing to do with the goals; those words he said have stuck with me, and tonight has hit me like a truck.”
Berengeur on Maclaren: Build him a statue!
In the words of City midfielder Florin Berenguer: Jamie Maclaren scores “whenever he wants.”
Whether combining on matchday at grounds around the A-League Men or at the club’s training base at Casey Fields, the French midfielder has seen it first-hand: Maclaren’s insatiable appetite for goals. On Saturday night, he scored three of them.
The hat-trick took Maclaren beyond Berisha into sole ownership of the all-time A-League Men goalscoring record.
Speaking after the 3-1 win over Western United, Berenguer suggested the best way to honour his teammate’s legacy was to cast him in bronze.
“He means a lot (to the club),” Berenguer told Paramount+.
“He deserves probably a statue in the stadium, or at Casey Fields.
“He’s scoring, like they say, whenever he wants. I’m happy for him to smash the record – hopefully there’s more to come over the next three weeks.
“Macca won’t stop now because he gets this record. We’ll keep pushing to get hopefully (many more goals) for him, and no one can catch him in the future.”
‘He wasn’t involved in the game all night – and he scored a hat-trick!’
For Western United head coach John Aloisi, Jamie Maclaren’s ascension to the top of the A-League Men scoring charts comes as no surprise.
“He was scoring 20 goals for me in Brisbane,” Aloisi told reporters after his side’s 3-1 loss to City. “He scored 40 goals in two seasons, so I could definitely see it.”
Aloisi coached Maclaren between 2015 and 2017 whilst at Brisbane Roar; the 2015-16 A-League Men campaign was Maclaren’s first in which he scored at least 20 goals. He’s since breached that target in four more A-League Men campaigns.
Aloisis says the nature of Maclaren’s hat-trick at AAMI Park on Saturday night was a perfect reflection of his greatest strengths as as a striker.
“He wasn’t involved in the game all night, and he scored a hat-trick,” Aloisi said. “That’s the type of player he is.
“He’s a great striker. He didn’t have too many sniffs of the ball and he scored three goals. That’s the sign of the record holder. He’s always. alive in the box.
“Congratulations to him, he’s done really well. It was a pleasure working with him. It was unfortunate we were on the receiving end.”
Vidosic on Maclaren’s City legacy: ‘It’s legend status’
In 2011, then-Brisbane Roar assistant coach Rado Vidosic helped the Queensland outfit lure a 26-year-old Besart Berisha Down Under.
Twelve years later, Vidosic is head coach at Melbourne City and in charge of the player who, on Saturday night, surpassed the man he brought to the Roar as the competition’s most prolific goalscorer.
Vidosic feels “privileged” to have played a role in both players’ respective A-League Men careers.
“He’s just amazing,” Vidosic said of Maclaren when speaking to reporters after his side’s 3-1 win over Western. “And I’m very privileged to have a chance to work with him. Also to be participating in the game where he breaks the record.
“Someone like Besart Berisha, I contributed to bring him here to Australia. To be part of those two competing… I think it’s been a fantastic challenge for (Maclaren) and he rose to it.
“I think he can score many, many more because he’s such a great player – and he’s very young.”
Vidosic added that Maclaren is one of two active City players, alongside current club captain Scott Jamieson, destined for legend status at the club as they set off in pursuit of the Premiership/Championship double in 2022-23.
“For me definitely. What he has achieved in a short period of time, it’s legend status. For me, he’s a legend.
“We’ve got Scott Jamieson who is definitely a club legend, and Jamie Maclaren’s another one.
“It’s a great privilege to work with both of them. They are great human beings and great football players.
“Obviously one is a little bit better goalscorer than the other one! But they both have achieved something for this club that you can only dream of.”
MATCHDAY AGENDA
Newcastle Jets 1-3 Central Coast Mariners
MATCH REPORT: Mariners vanquish Jets’ finals hopes in comfortable F3 Derby triumph
Western United 1-3 Melbourne City
MATCH REPORT: Maclaren breaks Isuzu UTE A-League goals record as City win Grand Final rematch
