By Josh Thomas
Marlon Pack says scoring his first goal for Cardiff City in their 3-0 win over Queens Park Rangers will help him to settle with the club, after signing from Bristol City in the summer.
The 28-year-old midfielder scored City’s second of the night on Wednesday from Gavin Whyte’s low cross following a Lee Tomlin corner.
And Pack admits the goal was a move straight off the training ground.
“It’s always pleasing when it comes off, a lot of time they don’t.,” he says.
“I don’t think, originally, it was intended for me, but I’ll take it. I probably won’t score an easier goal.
Pack moved to Cardiff for a fee of £4m, with manager Neil Warnock believing he would provide the kind of deep-laying midfield ballast the squad was lacking.
After making his debut in the first home game of the season against Luton Town, his second appearance against Reading resulted in Pack going off after 23 minutes with a leg injury before only returning last Saturday in their 2-2 draw with Hull City.
The enforced absence meant Pack was delighted to help his side get the three points against Mark Warburton’s men in midweek.
“It’s pleasing to get the win, to come straight back into the side after an injury, which was very unfortunate.
“The injury wasn’t ideal, but to come into a side in a good run of form and to score my first goal so early definitely helps make you feel a lot more settled.
“I’m here to do a role and the gaffer has bought me here for a reason and I like to think I’ve done it in the games I’ve played so far.
“I thought the crowd was fantastic. At times QPR had a lot of possession and the fans stuck with us, it definitely helped us get the three points.”
After losing Aron Gunnarsson to Al-Arabi SC during the summer after eight years with the Bluebirds, Pack has been viewed by Warnock as something of a replacement for the Iceland International.
“They’ve mentioned the similarity a few times actually,” he added. “It’s a good foil for the likes of Leo (Bacuna), Tommo (Tomlin) and gives us more of a threat forward knowing they’ve got a bit of security behind them.
“I don’t know too much about Gunners. It’s the type of role where you don’t get to many plaudits, but it’s crucial for the team and like I said, it allows the more attacking players to do their bits.”
With Cardiff having yet to taste defeat at home this season, with three wins from their first four games, Pack hopes they can push for promotion and stretch their unbeaten run to eight games when they travel to The Hawthorns to play West Brom on Saturday
“That is the burning ambition, but we will take it game by game.
“We are not the finished article yet. We know we got a long way to go, but getting results along the way definitely helps build up confidence and momentum.
“I think seeing some of the lads who have missed out shows you what a quality squad we’ve got here. When it all clicks, we will be a force.
“We’ve got a tough game at the weekend but we’ll be going in buoyant with good form against a good West Brom side. It’s one we are all looking forward to.”