NEWS: Iqraam Rayners is a contender for PSL Player of the Season, says Stellenbosch FC coach Steve Barker

Rayners etched his name in the PSL’s history books when he impressively netted five goals in Stellies’ emphatic 5-0 victory over Polokwane City in the DStv Premiership at the Danie Craven Stadium on Saturday.

The 28-year-old became only the second player to achieve the feat in league history.

The last player to register five goals in a match was Zambian attacker James Chamanga, who set the record in the colours of Moroka Swallows against Platinum Stars in 2007.

Rayners shot to the top of the DStv Premiership scoring charts with 13 goals, two ahead of Orlando Pirates’ Tshegofatso Mabasa and Lucas Ribeiro of Mamelodi Sundowns.

READ: Iqraam Rayners scores an incredible five goals as Stellenbosch thrash Polokwane City 

“What can one say? I thought it was five special goals,” said Barker after the game.

“You know sometimes when a player scores five goals maybe one or two (are good goals) but all five goals were well-thought, well-struck and composed quality finishes.

“Iqraam has shot to the top of the goal scorers in the league and for me, he has definitely played himself into contention for Player of the Season.

“He has shown his qualities as a goal scorer. All in all, it was a very proud day for the club,” said Barker. 

The Stellies mentor also revealed how he has been able to extract the best out of Rayners, as the player struggled to hit top form during his two-and-half-season stint at SuperSport United.

Despite playing 58 matches for the Pretoria-based club, Rayners scored just five goals.

But since returning to the Cape Winelands during the January transfer window, the attacker scored an impressive 15 goals across all competitions in the second half of last season.

“I think it was a question of him being back in a happy place,” said Barker.

“You know the position he plays for me, as a number nine down the middle, and I think maybe at SuperSport he wasn’t used as an out-and-out striker.

“So, when he came back it was just the way he started (here) and went through a purple patch for six months and just scored goals.

“He is a natural goalscorer and you can see when he is playing that he thinks about what he is going to do,” Barker added.

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“He is not just taking the shots. He can see that if I shoot now, it will get blocked, so let me try to create a better angle for a better opportunity.

“He has always had that in him and now that he has had a Bafana Bafana call-up, even coming back from Bafana his game has even gone to a higher level, especially with his link-up play, that has improved a lot.

“And he is scoring goals, I think he is doing himself a lot of favours for when the Bafana squad selection gets done. I hope he can play in that position as well as Jayden Adams, he missed the last due to injury.”

Rayners will aim to add even more goals to his tally when second-placed Stellies host Golden Arrows at the Danie Craven Stadium on Wednesday.

Kick-off is at 17:30.