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Page last updated at 09:38 GMT, Sunday, 18 October 2009 10:38 UK

Beattie hopes for scoring spree

Craig Beattie and his team-mates celebrate his first goal for the club
Craig Beattie and his team-mates celebrate his first goal for the club

Record signing Craig Beattie hopes to go on a Swansea City scoring spree after breaking his duck in their 1-1 draw at Ipswich on Saturday.

Beattie struck after just seven minutes but it was cancelled out just eight minutes later by Pablo Counago.

"I'm delighted to get off the mark and hopefully it'll be the start of a little run I'll go on," he said.

"It's important and I've very happy about it, but I wasn't starting to get concerned because I hadn't scored."

Beattie became the Swans record signing in August - when they paid an initial £500,000 to West Brom - who they face on Tuesday.

But his chances have been restricted by a flu-like illness.

"It [illness] probably set me back in training a couple of weeks without really knowing it," he said.

"The manager said take your time, clear your chest and we'll get you in.

606: DEBATE

"It was just before the international break when I came down and it wasn't a chest infection, it was the flu so I was pretty bad.

"I was in bed for more or less a week - five days to a week - and I had to stay away from the rest of the squad as well.

"So it was a bit frustrating and I've recovered from it now."

Beattie paid tribute to defender Angel Rangel whose assist it was that led to the Scotsman's goal.

"I was delighted when it went in to be fair. I made the run and Angel's played a nice ball.

"I've taken a touch across the defender, just to stop him getting a tackle in and I managed to finish it through the keeper's legs.

"I'd only played a couple of games and was just delighted to get off the mark."

And while disappointed at his side being pegged back by winless Ipswich, Beattie says Paulo Sousa's side will continue to take pride in their defensive efforts, which has seen them only concede twice in six unbeaten Championship outings.

"We got off to a good start and not conceding is something we pride ourselves on," he added.

We'll take a point. We want three points in every game, but that's not going to happen

Craig Beattie

"We don't want to really win games 3-2 or 4-3. We want to concede no more than one goal or a clean sheet if possible because it just gives you a base and a platform to build on as we go through the season.

"There's games we're going to lose, there's games [where] we're going to be unlucky and games where we play rubbish and get three points.

"But over a season we're looking to pick enough up to be up there challenging… everything pans out over a season I think and we won't get too down on losing a goal and drawing away from home.

"We're on an unbeaten run and we should be very proud of that and we want to have this unbeaten run continue."



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see also
Ipswich 1-1 Swansea
17 Oct 09 |  Championship
We should have won - Keane
17 Oct 09 |  Ipswich
Swansea sign Trundle and Beattie
28 Aug 09 |  Swansea
BBC Sport Wales coverage
03 Oct 11 |  Wales


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