Crawley Town striker wins SkyBet League Two Player of the Month - but Yems misses out

Another six goals in six games for 21-year-old striker won him the award. Two superb finishes as a substitute at Mansfield were followed by a poacher’s hat-trick against Barrow.

The hottest property in football beat Rhys Bennett (Carlisle United), Wes McDonald (Walsall) and Carlos Mendes-Gomes (Morecambe) for the award.

Crawley manager John Yems said: “Max has been a top lad since we picked him up at the beginning of the season and has given us goals that have been so important so far this season.”

Watters said: “It’s an honour to win this award. It’s all thanks to the lads in the team and the management staff. John Yems and Lee Bradbury have been amazing with me since I joined here a few months ago.”

Sky Sports’ EFL pundit Don Goodman said: “Max Watters introduced himself in a massive way during December, consistently hitting the scoresheet for Crawley.

“The 21-year-old made League Two headlines with his hat-trick against Barrow, but they were only half the goals he scored in the festive period. Before that trio, Watters had already bagged two from off the bench at Mansfield, and another strike took his record to an impressive six from six.”

Sky Bet EFL trader Ivor Davies said: “Crawley are flying high in sixth place in Sky Bet League Two mainly thanks to Max Watters goals.

“The striker scored another six goals in six games during December to take his total to thirteen goals in fourteen league games since joining the Red Devils in October.

“Watters now sits in third place in the scorer charts and a 10/1 shot (from 50/1 at the start of the month) to finish the season as Sky Bet League Two’s top marksman.

“Cambridge striker Paul Mullin is five clear at the top and Leyton Orient forward Danny Johnson is in second, just one clear of Watters in third, but should nobody prize Watters away from Crawley in the January window you have to believe that he will at least be in the frame come the end of the season.”

The judging panel for the Sky Bet Player of the Month comprises Sky Sports’ EFL expert Don Goodman; EFL Communications Director Mark Rowan and Sky Bet EFL trader Ivor Davies.

But John Yems lost out on the manager of the month award, losing to Morcambe boss Derek Adams.

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