Is this the fastest goal in football history?

9:35am Friday 2nd May 2008

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ADAM Morris will be on the phone to the Guinness Book of records after scoring what is believed to be the fastest goal in the history of football.

The 20-year-old was playing for Holmer Green Reserves on Sunday when his shot direct from kick-off flew over the keeper's head and nestled into the back of the net.

Just 2.7 seconds of the match had passed, breaking the 3.17-second record held by Brazilian striker Fred, who also scored from the half-way line when he was playing for America Futebol Clube.

But his goal was the second touch in the game after the ball had been touched to him.

FIFA rules have since changed, allowing a player to shoot direct from kick-off, and Morris has taken full advantage.

He said: "I'm centre midfield so normally I get the ball from the strikers at kick-off. But on Sunday one of them just said, shoot'.

"I saw the keeper was standing on his penalty spot so when the ref blew his whistle I just took a few steps forward and hit it.

"I struck it well and thought it was over the bar. But it just went under the bar and the keeper hadn't even moved. He just watched it go over his head."

It's been coming. Morris has tried shots from kick-off before, but never at the start of the game.

Twice his 50-yard efforts were easily gathered by the keeper but two years ago he hit the bar with a shot at the start of the second half.

He said: "I used to practice my shooting when I was younger, but I've always had a good shot.

"Last season I got 20 goals, and I never score tap-ins."

The remarkable thing is that Morris was not even meant to be playing for Green.

He left the club earlier in the season to join Penn & Tylers Green but their season ended two weeks ago.

Morris said: "Ben Ashby, who passed the ball back to me, is the player/manager at Holmer Green and just asked if I could help them out."

And his blitzkrieg effort certainly did that as Green went on to beat Amersham Town 4-1.

Morris said: "Everyone was amazed, myself included.

"I think their keeper was in shock. He came up to me after the game and said great strike, but I didn't rub his nose in it.

"My dad called me a tart for trying it, but he's really proud and all my family know about it now."

And Morris' goal has already earned him a mini fan club.

As a Wycombe Wanderers coach in their Football in the Community Scheme, Morris works with schools in the area.

He said: "I was coaching five and six year olds at Ivor Heath on Monday and when I told them they were like, wow, how did you do that? How did you kick it that far?'