Jaze Kabia described his dramatic late winner as the “perfect Paddy’s Day” moment after firing the Mariners to a crucial 1-0 victory over Fleetwood Town at Blundell Park.

The forward struck in the dying seconds to seal all three points, capping a dominant performance and moving Town closer to their end-of-season objectives.

Here’s everything he had to say after the final whistle…

On a perfect St. Patrick’s Day:

Kabia couldn’t hide his delight after scoring such a late and decisive goal on a special day.

“Yeah, you can say that again,” he smiled. “Perfect Paddy’s Day for me.

“But the main thing is the win. It puts us three points closer to our objective, so that’s what matters most.”

On the late winner:

Having now netted late against Fleetwood twice this season, Kabia admitted the timing made it even more memorable.

“That’s the latest I’ve ever scored, I think,” he said. “I’ve had a few in the 90th minute, but that was right at the end, two kicks and then full-time.

“It just makes it that little bit sweeter.”

On the goal itself:

There was initial confusion over the scorer, but Kabia was ultimately credited – much to his delight.

“I’m just delighted,” he said. “Another one for the tally, but more importantly three points for the team.

“To be honest, it was a bit of carnage in the box, everyone was everywhere, but I loved it.”

On taking his chance:

Making his first start in a few games, Kabia felt his goal was reward for patience and hard work.

“I think I showed earlier in the season that I can score goals,” he said. “It’s been frustrating not starting as much lately.

“But that’s the squad we have, there’s real quality, and you have to fight for your place.

“I’ve just kept my head down and worked hard, and hopefully now I can stay in the team and help push us on.”

On his season so far:

With 15 goals in all competitions, Kabia believes he has proven he belongs at this level.

“I’ve loved every minute of it,” he said. “There’s been ups and downs, but you learn from both.

“I feel like I’ve shown I belong in the EFL, and I’m just really enjoying my football.”

On learning and development:

Kabia highlighted the importance of adapting to the tactical demands of the league.

“There’s loads of little things,” he explained. “Different systems, like playing against a back three or a back four.

“All those small details build into a bigger picture and help you improve.”

On the team’s response:

After Saturday’s disappointment, Kabia was pleased with how the squad reacted.

“It was a bit of a sucker punch at the weekend,” he admitted. “It wasn’t our best game, but we still could’ve got something.

“Tonight, it didn’t matter how we won, ugly or pretty, it was about getting three points, and we did that.”

On a dominant display:

Kabia felt Town controlled the game for long spells and deserved the victory.

“From the first whistle, I thought we were on top,” he said. “I don’t think they got out of their half in the first 15 minutes.

“We looked the more likely team throughout and managed the game well.”

On the run in:

With nine games remaining, Kabia acknowledged the importance of staying focused.

“It’s hard not to look at the table,” he said. “But we deserve to be where we are.

“We’ve shown we’re good enough to be in there, and now we’ve just got to stay there and give it everything.”

On the celebrations:

When asked if he could have picked a better way to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, Jaze was clear.

“Absolutely not,” he laughed. “100 times over – maybe just with a couple more goals!”

A last-gasp winner, another three points on the board, and a memorable moment for one of Town’s in-form forwards.

Momentum continues to build for the Mariners, and Jaze Kabia is right at the heart of it.

You can watch Jaze Kabia’s full post-match interview here:

UTM