Bryden out to finish season as league's top scorer

Fraser Bryden scored a hat-trick in Crusaders' 3-1 win over Bangor in August

Crusaders striker Fraser Bryden says he is aiming to finish the Irish Premiership season as the league's top goalscorer in his first year with the north Belfast club.

The 21-year-old Scottish forward tops the current top-flight goalscoring chart with six, one ahead of Linfield's former Crues frontman Kieran Offord and Coleraine's Joel Cooper.

Bryden is one of a contingent of players from Scotland who form part of manager Declan Caddell's Seaview squad.

"I want to score as many goals as I can and try and finish top goalscorer," Bryden, who notched a hat-trick in a 3-1 win over Bangor in August, told BBC Sport NI.

"I've settled in really well, have enjoyed it since I've been here and I'm doing really well on the park.

"We've got a really good young group of boys here and some older experienced lads as well. I'm 21 and I feel like one of the older boys in the group."

The Crues have had a mixed start to the season but a home draw with Ballymena United and an away win over Glenavon last weekend have served to boost confidence.

"The first part of the season we were a bit inconsistent but you can see us starting to gel now.

"The last few weeks we've shown how good a team we can be and have been playing the way the manager wants us to play, to go and express ourselves, get the ball down and pass it. Hopefully we can get a run of form going now.

"Some of the goals we've conceded this season have been slack, all through the team, not just at the back. We all defend together so we all take accountability.

"We've been working on that over the past couple of weeks and you can see the results of that. We had a clean sheet at the weekend so hopefully that's something to build on."

'An exciting move'

Kieran Offord grabbed a treble for Linfield in their season-opener against Dungannon

Bryden says the physical nature of the league is similar to what he experienced in his native country, including spells with Ayr United and Queen of the South, and that has helped him adapt to his new surroundings.

"It's very similar to back home, a physical league, and some really good players. That's what made it easier for me to settle in.

"The Irish League itself is on an up and you have the chance to play in Europe if you do well.

"It was an exciting move for me to come over here and I'm really enjoying it so far."

Caddell's charges will come up against league champions Linfield at Windsor Park on Friday night as they attempt to extend their unbeaten run to three matches.

Bryden missed last week's 2-0 victory over Glenavon with a "niggly" injury but hopes to be fit to return to face the Blues.

"We'll go there full of confidence and try and get a result," he said.

"Kieran Offord, who went to Linfield, I know him well from playing against him when I was young and of course about how well he did at Crusaders.

"I've spoken to Kieran a few times since I've been here and obviously he's been doing really well as well, scoring five in the league, one behind me, so I'm looking forward to playing against him on Friday night."