How the Irish fared: Anthony Pilkington makes a striking case

Anthony Pilkington’s transition from winger to striker continued to gather momentum at the weekend as his brace helped play-off hopefuls Cardiff to a 2-1 Championship win over Preston.

Both of Pilkington’s goals came from the penalty spot but he was a constant menace to the Preston defence and a tally of five goals in six games since his positional change might just be giving Ireland manager Martin O’Neill pause for thought ahead of Euro 2016. His club manager, Russell Slade, certainly believes Pilkington can have a future upfront. “People said Anthony was a makeshift striker but I really believe he could have a career up front,” he said.

“He’s quick, he’s clever, and he can finish. He is loving scoring the goals and having the responsibility of playing up top. We are so pleased with his contribution and he is a bit unfortunate not to have scored a few more this season.